tight-rope walking

Noun

tight-rope walking (uncountable)

1. Dated spelling of tightrope walking.
   • The directors of the Palace bend to the times, and however ill-associated some of their entertainments may be with the character of the edifice, they wisely reckoned upon the attractions of conjuring, morris-dances, tight-rope walking, Punch and Judy, and nigger melodies.1858 April 11, “Public Amusements”, in Weekly Dispatch, number 2947, London, →OCLC, page 10, column 3
   • After this, people were inclined to believe that the fearless acrobat could accomplish anything in the way of tight-rope walking, and accordingly the thousands that were drawn to the scene yesterday had every confidence that he would successfully the last and greatest feat of all—that of propelling...1859 July 15, Colonist, “[Charles] Blondin Again Successful. He Walks the Rope Backwards and Returns Propelling a Wheelbarrow.”, in The Daily British Whig, volume XXVIII, number 165, Kingston, Ont....