Spanishen la cuerda floja
Meaning: To be in a precarious or dangerous position; to be walking a fine line between safety and disaster.
Literally: On the loose rope
Example: “Tras el tercer informe negativo, el director está en la cuerda floja.” — After the third bad report, the director is walking a tightrope.
English equivalent: To walk a tightrope
Equivalents in other languages
English: walk a tightrope
Origin: The cuerda floja (slack rope) is the rope of circus and fairground acrobats, left deliberately loose so that every step is a balancing act. Being en la cuerda floja is being in a position where any slip could bring a fall: a minister close to dismissal, a company near bankruptcy. Spanish has close synonyms built on the same danger, such as con la soga al cuello (with the rope around one's neck).
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