tightrope walks

Noun

tightrope walk (plural tightrope walks)

1. An instance of walking on a tightrope.
   • Stunts like tightrope walks and barrel plunges were later banned at the falls, with fines of up to $10,000.2011 August 5, “Down to the Wire”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jun 2022

   Synonyms:

   rope dance

2. (figuratively) A perilous course between alternatives.
   • Mr. Donofrio's strategy is a tightrope walk. He is trying to preserve as much of the traditional mainframe business as possible, while remaking the big machines, replacing their large, power-hungry processors with more efficient computer-on-a-chip microprocessors, which drive work stations and...1993 October 26, Steve Lohr, “Present at the Transition of I.B.M.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2015