What does it mean to be on tenterhooks? - Merriam-Webster “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” compares the tenseness of the stretched fabric to the tension of nervous waiting
Tenterhook - Wikipedia Tenterhooks or tenter hooks are hooked nails used with a device known as a tenter, a wooden frame, used since at least the 14th century in the process of making woolen cloth, over which wet cloth would be stretched to prevent shrinkage as it dries, but now superseded by the stenter in the textile manufacturing industry
On Tenterhooks - Meaning Origin Of The Phrase - Phrasefinder 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 the tenter used to hold the cloth in place
on tenterhooks vs. on tender hooks - Vocabulary. com 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 uncertainty, a kind of worry that you feel physically
Understanding on tenterhooks Idiom: Meaning, Origins . . . 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 someone is waiting for an important event or outcome with great eagerness, but also with apprehension
Tenterhooks or Tenderhooks? Which is Correct? - One Minute . . . Tenterhooks, also called tenter hooks, are nails that hook into a device called a tenter This tenter is a wooden frame that dates back as early as the 14th century The tenter and tenterhooks were used in the process of making woolen cloth