Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The phrase "on tenterhooks" is an idiomatic adjective phrase used to describe a state of emotional suspense.
Like many English idioms, its meaning is tied to a historical industry that has since faded, leaving behind the linguistic vestige.
In competitive exams like the CUET, identifying the correct synonym for such a phrase requires understanding the specific quality of the emotion described—usually a mix of worry, anticipation, and tension.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
A deep dive into the history of this phrase provides the clarity needed to select the correct synonym.
Historical Etymology:
A "tenter" was a large wooden frame used in fabric manufacturing, specifically for wool.
After the wool was woven, cleaned, and felted, it would be soaked and then stretched out on these frames to dry.
This was done to ensure the fabric dried evenly and didn't shrink or wrinkle.
To keep the cloth in place, it was hooked onto the frame using sharp, L-shaped nails known as "tenterhooks."
The cloth was pulled extremely tight, creating a state of maximum tension across the entire surface.
The Figurative Transition:
The idiom takes this physical state of being "stretched tight" and applies it to the human mind or spirit.
When a person is "on tenterhooks," they are emotionally stretched tight by uncertainty.
They are waiting for news—perhaps a grade, a job offer, or a medical result—and the waiting is uncomfortable or even painful.
Analyzing the Emotional Nuance of the Options:
(A) "Nervous": Being nervous is a related state, but it is often generalized. You can be nervous about a speech you have to give. "Tenterhooks" specifically implies the tension of *waiting* and *suspense*.
(B) "Relaxed": This is the direct antonym. Tension is the core of the idiom, and being relaxed is the absence of tension.
(C) "Anxious": This is the most accurate synonym. Anxiety, in this context, refers to a state of being worried and tense about what may happen. The painful suspense of the "tenterhooks" is best summarized by the word "anxious."
(D) "Excited with worry": This is a descriptive phrase but not a standard lexical definition. While it attempts to capture the dual nature of anticipation, "anxious" is the formal English equivalent expected in testing environments.
In standardized testing, the most precise and direct vocabulary word is preferred over descriptive phrases.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Based on the origin of the phrase relating to stretched tension and its modern usage for painful suspense, "on tenterhooks" is most correctly defined as (C) Anxious.