on tenterhooks

1. To be kept on tenterhooks is to be held in a state of nervous apprehension: “We've been on tenterhooks since the election results started coming in.”

Notes

A tenterhook was a hooked device used in the 1700s to secure newly woven cloth onto a frame.

Idioms and Phrases

In a state of painful suspense, as in We were on tenterhooks all through the game, hoping against hope that our team would win . This expression alludes to hooks that formerly were used to hold newly woven cloth that was being stretched on a frame. Their name has long survived this method of manufacture. [Mid-1700s]

Example Sentences

That sentiment isn’t conducive to a night spent with an information delivery system designed to keep the audience straining on tenterhooks.

From Salon

As for Israel’s response to Iran, the region - and the world - has been on tenterhooks since Tuesday.

From BBC

For almost a month, many here in Lebanon have been on tenterhooks, waiting for Hezbollah to retaliate against Israel.

From BBC

Deepti made a bit of a meal of it in the end and kept us on tenterhooks when the six just went over!

From BBC

In a video interview, Oriahi spoke about keeping the audience on tenterhooks, the challenges of Nollywood and his filmmaking heroes.

From New York Times