tightrope

Universal Words noun a rope or wire that is stretched tightly high above the ground and that performers walk along, especially in a CIRCUS: a tightrope walker IDIOMS tread / walk a tightrope to be in a difficult situation in which you do not have much freedom of action and need to be extremely careful about what you do: The government is walking a difficult tightrope in wanting to reduce interest rates without pushing up inflation.