anxious seat


noun
  1. 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.

  2. 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.

Origin of anxious seat

1
An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Words Nearby anxious seat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use anxious seat in a sentence