juggling
juggling — noun
1. the act of keeping several objects moving in the air by repeatedly throwing and
the act of keeping several objects moving in the air by repeatedly throwing and catching them, usually performed as a way to amuse people or show skill
Haruki spent months learning the juggling of three oranges without dropping any.
pattern: the juggling of [objects]
The circus performer amazed the crowd with a juggling routine using five flaming torches.
Yuna's juggling act at the school talent show won her first place.
Practising juggling every morning helped Kwame improve his hand-eye coordination.
- dropping
the failure to catch the objects during a juggling attempt
文法句型
the juggling of [plural noun objects]
用法筆記
Often appears in compounds such as 'juggling act', 'juggling routine', or 'juggling balls' to describe a specific performance.
常見錯誤
2. the challenge of giving enough time and attention to several different tasks or
the challenge of giving enough time and attention to several different tasks or areas of life at once, such as work, study, and family
The juggling of work, school, and family left Amara exhausted by Friday evening.
pattern: the juggling of [three domains]
Sofia's juggling of three part-time jobs helped pay for her university tuition.
Many parents find the juggling of childcare and a career very stressful.
Good time management makes the juggling of multiple projects much easier.
- balancing
emphasises keeping things equal rather than keeping them all going
- multitasking
focuses on doing several things at once, but 'juggling' highlights the difficulty of competing demands
- focus
concentrating on one task at a time, the opposite of dividing attention
文法句型
the juggling of [noun phrase] and [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Commonly paired with nouns that describe competing areas of life: 'juggling of work and family', 'juggling of responsibilities'.
常見錯誤
juggling — verb
1. to throw and catch several items repeatedly without dropping them, typically as
to throw and catch several items repeatedly without dropping them, typically as a way to show skill or entertain an audience
Diego can juggle four tennis balls while riding a unicycle at the same time.
The street performer juggled knives and torches to draw a bigger audience.
transitive: juggle + [objects]
Lukas taught his little sister how to juggle with two light scarves first.
At the festival a clown juggled colourful rings and made the children laugh.
- drop
the opposite outcome — failing to catch and letting the objects fall
文法句型
juggle + noun phrase (objects juggled)
用法筆記
The objects juggled are typically round or easy to grip — balls, clubs, rings, torches. When the object is singular, the phrase often describes a trick rather than continuous juggling.
常見錯誤
2. to handle multiple jobs or duties at once, making sure each one gets enough of y
to handle multiple jobs or duties at once, making sure each one gets enough of your time and attention
Dr. Tanaka juggles her hospital duties with teaching at the medical school.
pattern: juggle [noun] with [noun]
As a single father, Omar juggled his job, cooking, and homework help each evening.
The project manager juggled deadlines from three different clients this month.
Nadia juggled her online courses with a part-time job at the library.
The Watanabe family juggled remote work and children's online school during the lockdown.
- focus on
to concentrate on a single task instead of dividing attention
- prioritise
to rank tasks by importance rather than trying to do them all at once
文法句型
juggle + noun phrase (plural tasks/responsibilities)
juggle [noun] and [noun]
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person or group with multiple roles. The items juggled are always at least two different duties or activities. This sense is very common in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
3. to deliberately change or reorganise numbers, plans, or schedules so that things
to deliberately change or reorganise numbers, plans, or schedules so that things work out the way you want, sometimes by using slightly unfair methods
The accountant juggled the budget figures to hide the department's overspending.
register: slightly dishonest context
Ananya juggled her meeting schedule so she could attend her daughter's concert.
The coach juggled the players' positions to create a stronger defensive line.
To make the trip affordable, Mei juggled the flight dates and hotel bookings.
- manipulate
stronger negative connotation of dishonest control; 'juggle' is often milder
- rearrange
neutral and general; 'juggle' implies more cleverness and pressure to fit everything in
- keep fixed
to leave plans or numbers unchanged instead of moving them around
文法句型
juggle + noun phrase (numbers, plans, schedules)
用法筆記
Can be neutral (rearranging a schedule) or negative (manipulating numbers dishonestly). The context makes the moral tone clear.
常見錯誤
4. to trick or mislead someone by using dishonest talk or actions, making them beli
to trick or mislead someone by using dishonest talk or actions, making them believe something that is not true
The dishonest salesman juggled his customers with promises he never meant to keep.
formal register: deceive with empty promises
Politicians who juggle the public with clever words are soon discovered by voters.
No one trusted the merchant after he juggled them with false shipping documents.
The con artist juggled investors with fake monthly returns for nearly a year.
- enlighten
to inform honestly rather than mislead
文法句型
juggle + noun phrase (a person or group)
用法筆記
An uncommon, somewhat literary sense. The person being tricked is the direct object. Modern English more often uses 'deceive', 'trick', or 'con' in this context.