“On tenterhooks” means “waiting nervously for something to happen.” The word tenter means “a frame used for drying and stretching cloth” and is related to tent, so being “on tenterhooks” …

A tenter is a wooden frame, often in the form of a line of fencing, used to hang woollen or linen cloth to prevent it from shrinking as it dries. The tenterhooks are, not surprisingly, the hooks on …

To be on tenterhooks means to be stretched tight or to be tense while in anticipation or suspense. The phrase is often preceded by "waiting," which emphasizes the quality of anxious …

They are on tenterhooks—their livelihoods are at stake and their families do not know what will happen.

The idiom “on tenterhooks” is a commonly used expression in English language that signifies a state of anxiety, nervousness or anticipation. It is often used to describe situations where …

Tenterhooks are used to stretch fabric using tension. The expression was first used in the 1700s to refer to someone that was feeling anxious. When a fabric is on tenterhooks, it leaves the …

May 22, 2023 · The idiom "tenterhooks" is used to express the feeling of suspense, anxiety, or impatience due to uncertainty or a pending outcome. If you're on tenterhooks, you're anxiously …

The tenterhooks are the metal hooks that held the cloth to the frame. The stretched out cloth remains there until dry, effectively waiting in suspense until it becomes ready for the next stage …

Define tenterhooks. tenterhooks synonyms, tenterhooks pronunciation, tenterhooks translation, English dictionary definition of tenterhooks. plural noun on tenterhooks in suspense, anxious, …

On tenterhooks In a state of agonising suspense, the expression dates from the mid-18th century but is preceded by an earlier expression ‘on tenters’ meaning the same thing that dates from …