Slacklining

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A practice that entails walking or balancing on a taut line secured between two anchors
2. An activity where individuals strive to maintain equilibrium while traversing a tensioned strap fixed between two points
3. The sport or activity of maintaining balance while walking or performing tricks on a flat, stretched strap anchored at two points

Etymology: Slacklining is a compound of "slackline" and the suffix "-ing", and the verb describes the act of balancing on a loosely tensioned strap or line strung between two anchor points. The base word "slackline" is itself a compound of "slack" and "line": a slackline is held slack rather than taut, so it sags and bounces underfoot, which is what makes the balance harder than on a tightrope. The "-ing" ending is the ordinary English suffix that turns a noun or verb into a verbal noun or participle, so the form simply names the activity of walking or standing on a slackline. Nothing in the word's construction is unusual; its interest lies in the physical contrast that the two parts of the name capture, a rope that is deliberately kept loose rather than pulled tight.

Synonyms: tightrope walking