stunt
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a dangerous or difficult action, often done in a film or for a show.
n.a daring or dangerous feat, typically requiring significant physical skill or coordination, often performed for entertainment.
Simple“The actor does all his own stunts instead of using a double.”
In context“The film's most impressive stunt involved a high-speed motorcycle chase across the rooftops of the old city.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something unusual done just to get people's attention or to sell a product.
n.an activity designed to attract public attention or media coverage, often for promotional purposes.
Simple“The company's latest marketing stunt involved giving away free cars.”
In context“Critics dismissed the politician's visit to the factory as a transparent publicity stunt intended to boost his falling approval ratings.”
Synonymsgimmickpublicity stunt - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to stop something or someone from growing or developing as they should.
v.to check or hinder the natural growth or development of an organism or process.
Simple“A lack of sunlight can stunt the growth of your indoor plants.”
In context“Research suggests that severe nutritional deficiencies during early childhood can permanently stunt physical and cognitive development.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to behave in a way that shows how much money or talent you have.
v.to display one's wealth, success, or style in an ostentatious manner.
Simple“He was stunting in his new sports car all weekend.”
In context“The rapper spent the entire music video stunting with expensive jewellery and private jets to project an image of extreme success.”
“Brown gets into the box as if he were Harry Houdini performing a stunt.”
Unknown. Compare Middle Low German stunt (“a shoulder grip with which you throw someone on their back”), Middle English stunt (“foolish; stupid”).
From dialectal stunt (“stubborn, dwarfed”), from Middle English stont, stunt (“short, brief”), from Old English stunt (“stupid, foolish, simple”), from Proto-Germanic *stuntaz (“short, compact, stupid, dull”). Cognate with Middle High German stunz (“short”), Old Norse stuttr (“short in stature, dwarfed”). Related to Old English styntan (“to make dull, stupefy, become dull, repress”). More at stint.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.