Manage to catch the end of a rope (4)
I believe the answer is:
cope
'manage' is the definition.
(manage can mean to cope or do well)
'catch the end of a rope' is the wordplay.
'catch' becomes 'cop' (cop can mean to arrest or apprehend).
'the end of' indicates one should take the final letters.
The last letter of 'rope' is 'e'.
'cop'+'e'='COPE'
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for cope that I've seen before include "Priest's ceremonial cloak" , "Rise to the occasion" , "Priest's cloak; deal (with)" , "Deal effectively (with a difficulty)" , "Long cloak for a priest" .)