Per the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, “when someone is in a state of uneasiness or suspense, you might say that person is on tenterhooks.” A little down the page, they continue: “A tenterhook is defined as ‘a sharp hooked nail used especially for fastening cloth on a tenter.’ Oh, okay. Glad that’s settled. Hey wait … what’s a tenter? Well that’s a frame on which cloth is stretched to dry evenly, often to prevent it from shrinking.”
I didn’t just decide to define random phrases today on this blog entry. I’d say that this phrase accurately defines how I feel now that my Kindle Scout campaign has ended. I received an email today, and Scout said they’d contact me in a “few business days” with a decision. Ack…we’re coming upon a weekend!
On a positive note, though, I’m going on a relaxing vacation tomorrow, which will definitely help quell the “tenter-hooky” suspense I’m feeling.
If you want to read more about this expression, here’s the link:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/on-tenterhooks-origin-meaning-phrase
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