anxious seat
Americannoun
-
Also called anxious bench. Chiefly North Atlantic States and Southern and South Midland U.S. a seat reserved at a revival meeting for those troubled by conscience and eager for spiritual assistance.
-
a state of anxiety, especially about the outcome of a vote, negotiation, etc..
Strikers have been in the anxious seat for the last three days.
Etymology
Origin of anxious seat
An Americanism dating back to 1810–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Calvin Coolidge has had everybody on the anxious seat for months as to who he would sup port in the November handicap.
From Time Magazine Archive
Other items which Sir William traces far include: absquatulate, anxious seat, slam bang, cinch, lengthy, maverick, rain check, barn stormer, cowcatcher, calamity howler, greased lightning, rambunctious.
From Time Magazine Archive
After keeping her on the "anxious seat" for about two years she secured a judgment for the full amount, and she owns to-day the only judgment against me.
From The Romance and Tragedy by Russell, William Ingraham
There now were nine applicants on the anxious seat in the reception room.
From Certain Success by Hawkins, Norval A.
The traveling men filed out through the smiles of the ladies and went to the hotel, while half the congregation went forward to the anxious seat, to "view the remains."
From Peck's Sunshine Being a Collection of Articles Written for Peck's Sun, Milwaukee, Wis. - 1882 by Peck, George W. (George Wilbur)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
