on the tenterhooks

A form of on tenterhooks — In a state of (great) apprehension or suspense; on pins and needles; on the rack.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. alternativeAlternative form of on tenterhooks
Cite this entry
APA

on the tenterhooks. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20tenterhooks

MLA

“on the tenterhooks.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20tenterhooks. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the tenterhooks,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20tenterhooks.

Source: on the tenterhooks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.