tightrope

[tahyt-rohp]

noun

1. a rope or wire cable, stretched tight, on which acrobats perform feats of balancing.

verb (used without object)

tightroped, tightroping 

1. to walk, move, or proceed on or as on a tightrope.

   He tightroped through enemy territory.

verb (used with object)

tightroped, tightroping 

1. to make (one's way, course, etc.) on or as on a tightrope.

tightrope

/ ˈtaɪtˌrəʊp /

noun

1. a rope or cable stretched taut above the ground on which acrobats walk or perform balancing feats

2. to be in a difficult situation that demands careful and considered behaviour

Word History and Origins

Origin of tightrope¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; tight + rope

Idioms and Phrases

see walk a tightrope.

Example Sentences

“They’re doing this interesting tightrope walk,” said Clay Routledge, whose research team at the Human Flourishing Lab partnered with the Harris Poll on the survey.

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"Kabul will be walking the tightrope between Islamabad and New Delhi, with the latter trying to get the most from the engagement without offering formal recognition," Donthi added.

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The Carney government has had to walk a tightrope in dealing with public dismay over US relations.

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“People aren’t comfortable with that. So performance-wise, that was the hardest part because it was like a tightrope, the tightrope of this woman.”

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Early in the second quarter, he caught a screen pass, did a tightrope run down the Los Angeles sideline and dived into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown.

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