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essere sulle spine
/esˈseːre ˈsulle ˈspiːne/◆idiom
to be on tenterhooks
Aspetta il risultato dell'esame e sta sulle spine da giorni.
He's been on tenterhooks for days waiting for his exam results.
informal
to be extremely anxious or nervous while waiting for something uncertain
Non so se ho superato il colloquio: sono sulle spine da stamattina.
I don’t know if I passed the interview—I’ve been on tenterhooks since this morning.
Quando il medico uscì dalla stanza, tutti eravamo sulle spine.
When the doctor came out of the room, we were all on tenterhooks.
Used to describe a state of suspense or unease, often due to anticipation of news or an uncertain outcome.
Collocations
mettere qualcuno sulle spineto keep someone on tenterhooksrimanere sulle spineto stay on tenterhooks
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage in context
Use 'essere sulle spine' when describing someone who is visibly anxious or restless due to uncertainty, not just general worry. It implies a more intense and immediate state of suspense.
Gold Rule
Avoid literal interpretation
This is an idiom—never use it to describe physical discomfort from actual thorns or sharp objects.
Word Origin
From the literal sense of being 'on thorns' (spine = spine/thorn in Italian), evoking the discomfort of sitting on thorns, symbolizing unease and anxiety.
Usage Notes
Common in both spoken and written Italian, often used in contexts of waiting for important news, results, or outcomes. Can be used literally in rare cases (e.g., physical discomfort), but figurative use dominates.
Word Breakdown
essere
to be
verbsulle
on the
prepositional phrasespine
thorns/spines
nounDizionario Italiano-Inglese