tightrope
Acrobat's aerial path
A tightrope is a rope or wire stretched taut high above the ground, walked by acrobats and circus performers.
The word extends naturally to any precarious situation requiring careful balance: Walking a tightrope between honesty and diplomacy, The negotiations were a tightrope act.
To walk a tightrope is to navigate a situation where missteps in either direction bring trouble.
Elevated taut cable
- trapezeSuspended acrobatic bar
- ringmasterCircus performance director
- tentPortable fabric shelter
- audienceGathered viewers collectively
spectacle · carnival · sequins · marquee · aerialist · act · routine · applause
One who walks ropes
- slacklineTaut strap for balancing
- highwireElevated taut cable
- barDrinking establishment
- cableHeavy-duty woven line
wire · rigging · tension · tautness · anchor · platform · span · crossing
Dangerously insecure
- perilSerious threat of harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- jeopardyRisk of harm
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
pitfall · fall · plunge · height · vertigo · net · harness · misstep
Forced choice between undesirables
- knife-edgeCritically narrow margin
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- precariousDangerously insecure
- navigateGuide through terrain
negotiation · diplomacy · compromise · tradeoff · tension · stakes · brinkmanship · gambit
State of balance
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- steadinessState of being constant
- poiseGraceful, unshakable calm
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
centering · tension · precision · counterbalance · equipoise · proprioception · adjustment · wobble
highwire
Elevated taut cable
- trapezeSuspended acrobatic bar
- ringmasterCircus performance director
- tentPortable fabric shelter
audience · spectacle · carnival · sequins · marquee · aerialist · act · routine · applause · spotlight
funambulist
One who walks ropes
cable · wire · rigging · tension · tautness · anchor · platform · span · crossing · traverse
precarious
Dangerously insecure
vulnerability · pitfall · fall · plunge · height · vertigo · net · harness · misstep · slip
dilemma
Forced choice between undesirables
- knife-edgeCritically narrow margin
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- precariousDangerously insecure
navigate · negotiation · diplomacy · compromise · tradeoff · tension · stakes · brinkmanship · gambit · high-stakes
equilibrium
State of balance
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- steadinessState of being constant
- poiseGraceful, unshakable calm
coordination · centering · tension · precision · counterbalance · equipoise · proprioception · adjustment · wobble · sway
- circus acrobaticsacrobats, trapeze, trapeze artists, flying trapeze, contortionists
- obstacle coursesmonkey bars, cargo nets, wall climb, balance beam, stepping stones
- tightropehigh wire, funambulist, balance pole, slackline, aerial act
- balance actsequilibrist, hand balancing, handstand, headstand, high wire
- balance equipmentbalance board, balance ball, balance beam, wobble board, stability ball
- circuscircus, big top, clown, clowns, ringmaster
tightropesafety net
Protection against failure
solid ground · firm footing · terra firma · safe haven · comfort zone
tightropepaved road
Hard-surfaced thoroughfare
sidewalk · catwalk · gangplank · scaffold · balance beam
tightropefloor
Indoor walking surface
ground · solid surface · paved road · flat terrain · runway
- tightrope walkerPerformer balancing on cable
- walk a tightropeTraverse a suspended cable
- tightrope walkingBalancing act on wire
- tightrope walkCrossing a suspended cord
tightrope walker, tightropes, tightrope walking, tightrope walkers