high wire

American  

noun

1. a tightrope stretched very high above the ground.

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high wire British  

noun

1. a tightrope stretched high in the air for balancing acts

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Etymology

Origin of high wire

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

“It was so eloquent. Like watching a trapeze artist on a high wire, poised gracefully in midair.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2024

A new high wire act is running downtown, where Teatro ZinZanni has settled into its current home at Lotte Hotel’s Sanctuary Ballroom.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 27, 2023

As they say, Blinken is on a high wire right now—and he’s got a lot of balancing to do up there.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2023

"He's a conjurer, he's a magician, he's a high wire artist, and he's a communicator extraordinaire. He is, I'll say it again, a radio genius, and he will always be a radio hero."

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2022

Before Inej had ever set foot on the high wire or even a practice rope, her father had taught her to fall—to protect her head and minimize the impact by not fighting her own momentum.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo