| 单词 | tenterhook |
| 释义 | tenterhook (once / 48841 pages) n Long ago, a tenterhook was a special kind of hook that held drying cloth on a frame called a tenter. If someone is "on tenterhooks," it means they are in suspense — metaphorically hanging there, waiting for something. Tenters and tenterhooks were commonly used from the fourteenth century, both as an important part of the process of weaving woolen fabric. Starting sometime in the eighteenth century, the phrase "on tenterhooks" came to mean "in suspense," the way a piece of cloth is suspended from tenterhooks on a tenter. So you might say that after entering a contest, you're on tenterhooks waiting to see if you'll win. WORD FAMILYtenterhook: tenterhooks USAGE EXAMPLESThe possible changes left much of the Asia region on tenterhooks. Wall Street Journal(Nov 09, 2016) The nation is on tenterhooks following last night’s announcement that 88 year-old Bhumibol, the world’s longest reigning monarch, remains in an “unstable condition.” Time(Oct 13, 2016) Key economic data, including September's employment report on Friday, will keep traders on tenterhooks. Reuters(Sep 30, 2016) n one of a series of hooks used to hold cloth on a tenter Hyper claw, hook a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something |
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