Added to
Favorites
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Word Dynamo
Quotes
Reference
Translator
Spanish
Log In
Sign Up
Introducing a cool
new way to learn!
tenterhook
ten·ter·hook
/
ˈtɛn
tərˌhʊk
/
Show Spelled
[
ten
-ter-h
oo
k
]
Show IPA
noun
1.
one of the
hooks
or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a
tenter
.
Idioms
2.
on tenterhooks,
in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety:
The movie keeps one on tenterhooks until the very last moment.
Origin:
1470–80;
tenter
+
hook
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To
tenterhook
Collins
World English Dictionary
tenterhook
(ˈtɛntəˌhʊk)
—
n
1.
one of a series of hooks or bent nails used to hold cloth stretched on a tenter
2.
on tenterhooks
in a state of tension or suspense
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Relevant Questions
What Are Tenterhooks?
What Is The Definition T...
What Are Tenterhooks?
What Is The Definition T...
00:10
Tenterhook
is always a great word to know.
So is
callithumpian
. Does it mean:
So is
doohickey
. Does it mean:
So is
zedonk
. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Quote Of The Day
"The child does not begin to fall until she becomes seriously interested in walking, until ..."
-Polly Berrien Berends
MORE
Upgrade to Ad-free Premium Membership!
Related Words
tenter
MORE
Popular Searches
Sparknotes literatur...
Children's literatur...
Book summaries
American literature ...
Types of literature
Importance of litera...
Classic literature
Free book reports su...
Nearby Words
tentacle-like
tentacled
tentaclelike
tentacular
tentaculata
tentaculate
tentaculifera
tentaculiferous
tentaculiform
tentaculite
tentaculocyst
tentaculoid
tentaculum
tentage
tentation
tentative
tentatively
tentativeness
tented
tenter
tenterhook
tenterhooks
tentful
tenth
tenth amendment
tenth commandme...
tenth cranial n...
tenth deal
tenth part
tenth place
tenth's place
tenth's-place
tenth-place
tenthest
tenthly
tenthmeter
tenthredinidae
tenthredinides
tenths place
tenths-place
tentie
Partners:
Word
Bloglines
Citysearch
The Daily Beast
Ask Answers
Ask Kids
Life123
Sendori
Home Advisor
Copyright ©
2013 Dictionary.com, LLC
. All rights reserved.
About
PRIVACY POLICY
Terms
API
Careers
Advertise with Us
Contact Us
Suggest a Word
Help
Please
Login
or
Sign Up
to use the Favorites feature
Please
Login
or
Sign Up
to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT