stunt

9 definitions • 13 examples

an exciting action, usually in a film, that is dangerous or appears dangerous and usually needs to be done by someone skilled:

spectacular stunt It's a typical action movie with plenty of spectacular stunts.

Tom Cruise has performed his own stunts for Mission Impossible 2, defying warnings from professionals.

something that is done to get attention for the person or people responsible for it:

an advertising stunt

publicity stunt Their marriage was just a cheap publicity stunt.

in American football, a play (= period of action) in which two or more players on the defence change places at the line of scrimmage (= the line on which the ball is positioned at the beginning of a period of action) just before the play begins, in order to confuse the offence:

The coach likes to use stunts as a way to penetrate the offensive line.

to prevent the growth or development of something from reaching its limit:

stunt (the growth of) Drought has stunted (the growth of) this year's cereal crop.

relating to exciting and dangerous action, especially movement through the air, that needs to be done by someone who has great skill or special training:

Some of the country's top aerobatic stunt pilots brought planes to the event.

Enjoy the exciting stunt driving in the film, but don't try to copy it.

The experts can handle complex 4-line stunt kites.

an exciting and often dangerous act, usually performed for use in a movie by someone specially trained

something done mainly to attract attention:

This was not just some publicity stunt.

to slow or prevent the growth or development of someone or something:

Drought has stunted this year’s corn crop.

something that is done to get attention for the person or people responsible for it:

publicity/marketing/advertising stunt She dismissed her opponent's lawsuit as a publicity stunt.

a political/election stunt