idiom · neutral

be on tenterhooks

UK/ɒn ˈtɛntəˌhʊks/US/ɑn ˈtɛntərˌhʊks/on·TEN·ter·hooks

speakingtask2

to be in a state of anxious suspense

Examples

“N/A”

“N/A”

“N/A”

Band 8 sentence

“With the exam results due tomorrow, the entire class was on tenterhooks.”

Collocations

  • be on tenterhooks about/over something

Word family

be on tenterhooks phrase

Common mistakes

on tender hooks→on tenterhooks

be on tenter hook→be on tenterhooks

Say it for a higher band

5nervous→6anxious→7+be on tenterhooks

Synonyms

be uneasy

Easily confused

on pins and needles

“I was on pins and needles waiting for the doctor's verdict.”

Related words

be on cloud ninedown in the dumpson edgekeep a stiff upper lipwear one's heart on one's sleevelet off steamhead over heels (in love)be over the moon

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