Working End

The end of a rope actively manipulated to form a knot, bend, hitch or splice.

It is passed around an object or through loops and turns while the standing part leads towards the rest of the rope or load. Some instructions call it the running end, although that phrase can also describe a freely moving part of tackle.

Adequate tail must remain after tying, with length based on the knot, rope material and load. A working end can become hazardous if it whips, runs through a fitting or is pulled into loaded machinery, so its path and final security matter.