English Explanatory Dictionary

on tenterhooks

English dictionary entry

Meanings

prep_phrase
  1. In a state of (great) apprehension or suspense; on pins and needles; on the rack.

Pronunciation

ŏn′ tĕn′tər-ho͝oks′ ôn′ tĕn′tər-ho͝oks′ /ˌɒn ˈtɛntəhʊks/ /ˌɔn ˈtɛntəɹˌhʊks/ /ˌɑn-/ [-ɾəɹ-] En-au-on tenterhooks.ogg

Word forms

on tenterhooks on tender hooks on the tenterhooks

Etymology

Metaphorically stretched taut, like a piece of cloth on a tenter (“a framework upon which cloth is stretched and dried”) secured by tenterhooks. First attested in the mid-1700s.

Synonyms

in suspense on tenters on the tenters

Related words

like a cat on a hot tin roof shpilkes
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on O Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary