high-wire（n.）
"tightrope," 1895年，来自 high（形容词）+ wire（名词）。
I looked in at the Alhambra the other night, and found an excellent show, notably, a high-wire act by Mdlle. Virginia Aragon. A very handsome Spaniard with coal-black tresses, she does her work with great neatness. The best thing she does is to kneel on the wire, and, leaning forward, pick up with her teeth from between her knees, a handkerchief. Then she swings on the wire, balancing herself with one foot only. Altogether, she is the smartest wire-walker I've seen for many a day. Her sister, by the way, is a trapezist and figured at the Empire not long ago. [The Sketch, Nov. 27, 1895]
我最近在阿尔罕布拉宫看了一场精彩的表演，尤其是由弗吉尼亚·阿拉贡小姐表演的高空走钢丝。她是一位非常漂亮的西班牙女子，黑发披肩，表演非常整洁。她最厉害的表演是跪在钢丝上，向前倾斜，用牙齿从膝盖之间拾起手帕。然后她在钢丝上摇摆，只用一只脚保持平衡。总的来说，她是我见过的最聪明的走钢丝者。顺便说一句，她的姐姐是一名空中飞人，不久前在帝国剧院表演过。[《The Sketch》，1895年11月27日]
该词起源时间：1895年