Meanings
- uncountableDated spelling of tightrope walking.
The demoralizing tendencies of the splendid four-horse act, the sinful allurements of summersaulting, and the vicious surroundings of tight-rope walking are alike unperceived by him.
1859 July 20, “Recreation”, in The Oregon Statesman, volume 9, number 28 (444 overall), Salem, Ore., →ISSN, →OCLC, page [2], column 12 more examples
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 3After 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 a wheelbarrow before him across the entire length of the rope.
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., published 16 July 1859, →OCLC, page [2], column 4
Cite this entry
tight-rope walking. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tight-rope%20walking
“tight-rope walking.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tight-rope%20walking. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tight-rope walking,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tight-rope%20walking.
Source: tight-rope walking on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.