tightrope walker
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * A performer who walks along and balances on a tightrope or slack rope: A tightrope walker is an acrobat whose specialized skill involves maintaining balance while moving along a thin, taut wire or rope, often at a significant height, as a form of entertainment or spectacle.
Usage
The term "tightrope walker" is used to describe the profession or specific act of a performer. It is a compound noun that functions as a single unit. * The tightrope walker captivated the audience with a daring crossing high above the circus floor. * Becoming a professional tightrope walker requires immense concentration, strength, and years of training. * We watched in awe as the tightrope walker performed without a safety net.
Advanced Usage
- The concept can be used metaphorically to describe someone navigating a difficult or precarious situation requiring careful balance.
- The diplomat was a tightrope walker, carefully balancing the demands of both nations.
Variants and Related Words
- Funambulist (noun): A formal, less common synonym for a tightrope walker, derived from Latin.
- Aerialist (noun): A broader term for any performer who works high above the ground, which may include tightrope walkers, trapeze artists, and silk performers.
- High-wire artist (noun): A term often used interchangeably with "tightrope walker," specifically emphasizing performances at great heights.
Synonyms
- Funambulist
- High-wire artist
- Rope-walker
- Balancer
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To walk a tightrope: An idiom meaning to handle a situation that requires extreme care and balance between opposing forces or dangers.
- The manager walked a tightrope between keeping staff happy and meeting the company's budget.
Noun
- an acrobat who performs on a tightrope or slack rope