PoliticsJuly 4, 2026
tenterhooks
ˈtɛntərˌhʊks
Definition
A state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety while waiting for a decisive outcome.
Etymology
Derived from the 17th-century practice of stretching woven cloth on a wooden frame called a 'tenter' using metal hooks to prevent shrinking. The metaphor evolved to describe someone metaphorically 'stretched' or strained by tension while waiting for news.
In the news
The term is used here to describe the nervous anticipation of campaign staff and candidates who are waiting for the manual recount to finalize the results of a very close election.
NYC Board of Elections to certify primary results, 3 races to be manually recounted
Read the full article ↗Spectrum News NY1