tenterhook

American  

[ten-ter-hook] / ˈtɛn tərˌhʊk /

noun

1. one of the hooks or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter.

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idioms

1. on tenterhooks,  in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety.

   The movie keeps one on tenterhooks until the very last moment.

tenterhook British  

/ ˈtɛntəˌhʊk /

noun

1. one of a series of hooks or bent nails used to hold cloth stretched on a tenter

2. in a state of tension or suspense

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Usage

What does tenterhook mean? A tenterhook is a hook used to attach cloth to a tenter—a frame on which cloth is stretched during the manufacturing process so that it can keep its shape while drying.Tenterhooks are no longer widely used in cloth manufacturing, and the word tenterhook is now almost exclusively used in the metaphorical phrase on tenterhooks, meaning in a state of painfully anxious suspense or tension. Being on tenterhooks typically involves being extremely nervous while awaiting the outcome of a tense situation, such as a close election, an exciting sports game, or a horror movie.Example: I’ve been on tenterhooks all morning waiting for the doctor’s office to call back with my test results.

Etymology

Origin of tenterhook

First recorded in 1470–80; tenter + hook ¹

Example Sentences

As a way to find joy, she said, in a time when news and world events have us all on tenterhooks.

From The Wall Street Journal

"What has been set back is any meaningful transition to somewhere better, such as Gaza's rehabilitation and rebuilding. Whilst the ceasefire may survive, it will remain on tenterhooks," he said.

From BBC

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards are mere days away and, as someone who regularly writes about them, I’m trying to locate my tenterhooks, but it’s a bit tough this year.

From Los Angeles Times

Everything from gun violence to anti-Semitism is putting Americans on tenterhooks, according to the consultancy's Dominic Volek.

From BBC

Turns out that Carmy’s obsessive determination to change the menu daily, and keep his staff on perpetual tenterhooks, was perceived as disruptive, but not in a good way.

From Los Angeles Times