on thorns
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In a state of painful anxiety and suspense; fearful that something is going wrong (cp. TENTERHOOKS).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “on thorns” mean?
In a state of painful anxiety and suspense; fearful that something is going wrong (cp. TENTERHOOKS).
Is “on thorns” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.