Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents

Risley act

noun
Save Word
Ris·​ley act | \ ˈrizlē- \

Definition of Risley act

: a circus act in which an acrobat lying on his back juggles barrels or fellow acrobats with his feet

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for Risley act

after the Risley family, 19th century circus trio consisting of Richard Risley Carlisle †1874 American gymnast and circus performer and his two sons

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about Risley act

Statistics for Risley act

Cite this Entry

“Risley act.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Risley%20act. Accessed 16 December 2019.

Comments on Risley act

What made you want to look up Risley act? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

mellifluous

Listen to the pronounciation of mellifluous

having a smooth flowing sound

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz

  • scrabble tiles that read scrabble quiz
  • Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games