What does waiting on tenterhooks mean?
What does waiting on tenterhooks mean?
waiting nervously for something to happen
The phrase “on tenterhooks” means “waiting nervously for something to happen.” A tenterhook is literally a sharp hook that fastens cloth to a tenter, a frame on which cloth is stretched, like a tent, for even drying to prevent shrinkage. Other property owners in the area remain on tenterhooks.
How do you use tenterhook in a sentence?
one of a series of hooks used to hold cloth on a tenter.
- We were kept on tenterhooks for hours while the judges chose the winner.
- She had been on tenterhooks all night, expecting Joe to return at any moment.
- He was still on tenterhooks waiting for his directors’ decision about the job.
What is a tenterhook used for?
: a sharp hooked nail used especially for fastening cloth on a tenter. on tenterhooks. : in a state of uneasiness, strain, or suspense the waiting kept us on tenterhooks.
Is it tender or tenter hooks?
This phrase, meaning worried anticipation, comes from the word ‘tenter’ which was a frame on which cloth was stretched to prevent shrinking. The tenterhook kept the cloth tense and tight – hence the expression. A tender hook isn’t a thing. “I’m on tenterhooks waiting for my exam results!”
What is codswallop mean?
British, informal. : words or ideas that are foolish or untrue : nonsense The notion that Scott was waylaid by bad luck is “a lot of codswallop,” said Roland Huntford, a British historian.—
What is meant by a damp squib?
Meaning: a bust; a disappointment, particularly after much anticipation. Example usage: “After all that planning, Carly’s birthday party was a total damp squib.” A pug, possibly disheartened by a Damp Squib Event.
What is a overwrought mean?
1 : extremely excited : agitated. 2 : elaborated to excess : overdone. Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About overwrought.
What does the idiom a wet blanket mean?
: one that quenches or dampens enthusiasm or pleasure. Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About wet blanket.
Why do we say tenterhooks?
Tenterhooks were used in the process of making woollen cloth. The saying ‘to be on tenterhooks’ originated from this method of controlled drying, used to mean being in a state of uneasiness, anxiety, or suspense.
What is a Tenterer?
1 : a frame or endless track with hooks or clips along two sides that is used for drying and stretching cloth. 2 archaic : tenterhook. tenter.
Is Tosh a swear word?
Tosh – “Nonsense” It’s used in the way that many speakers would use “baloney” or “poppycock”. Below are some examples of using the term: That’s a load of tosh. I read that article, and it was all tosh and nonsense.
Is codswallop a bad word?
regard all this as codswallop. The word, meaning ”nonsense,” is British English: as a slang synonym for rubbish, bosh, humbug, hogwash, tommyrot, tripe and drivel, the newer codswallop was observed in The Radio Times in 1963.
What does the phrase ” on tenterhooks ” mean?
The suspense is killing us. The phrase “on tenterhooks” means “waiting nervously for something to happen.” A tenterhook is literally a sharp hook that fastens cloth to a tenter, a frame on which cloth is stretched, like a tent, for even drying to prevent shrinkage.
Where are the last remaining 18th century tenter hooks?
Tenterhooks on what may be the world’s last remaining 18th-century tenter frames at Otterburn Mill, Northumberland. Tenterhooks or tenter hooks are hooked nails in a device called a tenter. Tenters were wooden frames which were used as far back as the 14th century in the process of making woolen cloth.
How is a Tenterhook used in the manufacturing process?
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.
Where does the word ” tenter ” come from in a sentence?
Tenter comes from the Middle English tente, which means “to stretch” and derives from the Latin tēnsus, meaning “tense.” The word tenter was formerly used as a synonym for tenterhook, and the expression on tenters was used before on tenterhooks to mean the same thing.
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