Nail-biting
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Nail-biting is an adjective meaning (informal, idiomatic) That causes nervous anticipation or suspense.
Meaning
(informal, idiomatic) That causes nervous anticipation or suspense.
Example Sentences
He said recent nail-biting finals had renewed interest in the end-of-season contests, after a series of one-sided beltings earlier this decade.
A nail-biting final set appeared to be unfolding but it was Li who buckled under the pressure, giving up another break of serve with a double fault and a wayward backhand in game four, and Clijsters pumped her fist as she closed in on victory.
Yet again the phrase does not do justice to the nail-biting 750-mile journey through what is left of the ramparts put up by Genghis Khan, mountain ranges, arid plains, alien landscapes and alien people, stopping at little wooden stations identical to those the length and breadth of Russia but with tongue-twisting Chinese names like Manchouli, Pokotu and Tsitsihar.
Word Forms
- nailbiting
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include nailbiting, nerve-jangling, nerve-wracking, nerve-racking, nervewracking, nervy.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.