english
                    
                    
                    
                        1
                           general:: 
                           Also, be on a tightrope. Take or be on a very precarious course, as in A university press must walk a tightrope to publish scholarly books and still make money, or The general was on a tightrope as to whether he should advance or retreat. This idiom transfers the balancing act performed by tightrope or high-wire acrobats to other concerns. [First half of 1900s]
                           
                           
                           
                           
                        
    
                       
                    
                        
                        
                        
                    
 
                    
                        American Heritage Idioms
                    
                    
                    
                        2
                           general:: 
                           Phrase(s): walk a tightrope  Fig. to be in a situation where one must be very cautious.  •  I’ve been walking a tightrope all day. I need to relax.  •  Our business is about to fail. We’ve been walking a tightrope for three months.
                           
                           
                           
                           
                        
    
                       
                    
                        
                        
                        
                    
 
                    
                        McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs