anxious seat
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
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
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
A boy came to the room where I had waited on the anxious seat for an unhappy quarter of an hour.
From London Days A Book of Reminiscences by Warren, Arthur
"What with hurrying to complete all the houses before snow falls, and looking after Nate's trial and Lucy's family, it keeps Joyce on the anxious seat."
From Joyce's Investments A Story for Girls by Newberry, Fannie E.
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 Compendium of Fun 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.
