Tenter Hook One of the hooks or bent nails set in a close row along the upper and lower bar of a tenter, by which the edges of the cloth are firmly held. Tenter Hook A hooked or right-angled nail or spike. Tenter Hook A metal hook upon which anything is hung. Tenter Hook Her naylys sharpe as tenter hokys. Tenter Hook The King of Marocco may stab his Subjects, throw them to the Lions or hang them upon tenterhooks. Tenter Hook A Nail with a crooked Head, yet sharp pointed, that it may strike into any thing hung upon it. Tenter Hook On examining his teeth I found that they were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat. Tenter Hook The hooks upon which the valances of a bed are hung. Tenter Hook Strong iron hooks put in ceilings and joists on which bacon and other such things are hung. Tenter Hook That on which something is stretched or strained. Tenter Hook Something that causes suffering or painful suspense. Tenter Hook The churche is stretched out in the stretcher or tenter hookes of the crosse, as a churche well washed and cleansed. Tenter Hook Ract on the tenter-hookes of foule disgrace. Tenter Hook The surest way for ladies and for books To bait their tender or their tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook To strain, distort the sense of (words). Tenter Hook To strain (conscience, truth, authority, credit, etc.) beyond the proper, normal, or natural extent, limit, or scope. Tenter Hook He racketh it, straineth it, and as it were so setteth it on the tenter hookes. Tenter Hook By setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes. Tenter Hook Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality. Tenter Hook The poor People have set their Wits, as if it were on the Tenter-hooks, to make Turnep-Bread in Essex. Tenter Hook Honest men sometimes strain truth on the tenter-hooks of fiction. Tenter Hook In a state of painful suspense or impatience. Tenter Hook I left him upon the tenter-hooks of impatient uncertainty. Tenter Hook Until I reach the imperial headquarters I shall be on tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook The author keeps the reader on tenterhooks. Tenter Hook This dogge is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth. Tenter Hook What may be called ‘tenterhook living’ or existence on the crust of a volcano. Tenter Hook Alex had listened with tenterhook attention. Tenter Hook One of the hooks or bent nails set in a close row along the upper and lower bar of a tenter, by which the edges of the cloth are firmly held. Tenter Hook A hooked or right-angled nail or spike. Tenter Hook A metal hook upon which anything is hung. Tenter Hook Her naylys sharpe as tenter hokys. Tenter Hook The King of Marocco may stab his Subjects, throw them to the Lions or hang them upon tenterhooks. Tenter Hook A Nail with a crooked Head, yet sharp pointed, that it may strike into any thing hung upon it. Tenter Hook On examining his teeth I found that they were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat. Tenter Hook The hooks upon which the valances of a bed are hung. Tenter Hook Strong iron hooks put in ceilings and joists on which bacon and other such things are hung. Tenter Hook That on which something is stretched or strained. Tenter Hook Something that causes suffering or painful suspense. Tenter Hook The churche is stretched out in the stretcher or tenter hookes of the crosse, as a churche well washed and cleansed. Tenter Hook Ract on the tenter-hookes of foule disgrace. Tenter Hook The surest way for ladies and for books To bait their tender or their tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook To strain, distort the sense of (words). Tenter Hook To strain (conscience, truth, authority, credit, etc.) beyond the proper, normal, or natural extent, limit, or scope. Tenter Hook He racketh it, straineth it, and as it were so setteth it on the tenter hookes. Tenter Hook By setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes. Tenter Hook Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality. Tenter Hook The poor People have set their Wits, as if it were on the Tenter-hooks, to make Turnep-Bread in Essex. Tenter Hook Honest men sometimes strain truth on the tenter-hooks of fiction. Tenter Hook In a state of painful suspense or impatience. Tenter Hook I left him upon the tenter-hooks of impatient uncertainty. Tenter Hook Until I reach the imperial headquarters I shall be on tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook The author keeps the reader on tenterhooks. Tenter Hook This dogge is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth. Tenter Hook What may be called ‘tenterhook living’ or existence on the crust of a volcano. Tenter Hook Alex had listened with tenterhook attention. Tenter Hook One of the hooks or bent nails set in a close row along the upper and lower bar of a tenter, by which the edges of the cloth are firmly held. Tenter Hook A hooked or right-angled nail or spike. Tenter Hook A metal hook upon which anything is hung. Tenter Hook Her naylys sharpe as tenter hokys. Tenter Hook The King of Marocco may stab his Subjects, throw them to the Lions or hang them upon tenterhooks. Tenter Hook A Nail with a crooked Head, yet sharp pointed, that it may strike into any thing hung upon it. Tenter Hook On examining his teeth I found that they were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat. Tenter Hook The hooks upon which the valances of a bed are hung. Tenter Hook Strong iron hooks put in ceilings and joists on which bacon and other such things are hung. Tenter Hook That on which something is stretched or strained. Tenter Hook Something that causes suffering or painful suspense. Tenter Hook The churche is stretched out in the stretcher or tenter hookes of the crosse, as a churche well washed and cleansed. Tenter Hook Ract on the tenter-hookes of foule disgrace. Tenter Hook The surest way for ladies and for books To bait their tender or their tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook To strain, distort the sense of (words). Tenter Hook To strain (conscience, truth, authority, credit, etc.) beyond the proper, normal, or natural extent, limit, or scope. Tenter Hook He racketh it, straineth it, and as it were so setteth it on the tenter hookes. Tenter Hook By setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes. Tenter Hook Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality. Tenter Hook The poor People have set their Wits, as if it were on the Tenter-hooks, to make Turnep-Bread in Essex. Tenter Hook Honest men sometimes strain truth on the tenter-hooks of fiction. Tenter Hook In a state of painful suspense or impatience. Tenter Hook I left him upon the tenter-hooks of impatient uncertainty. Tenter Hook Until I reach the imperial headquarters I shall be on tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook The author keeps the reader on tenterhooks. Tenter Hook This dogge is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth. Tenter Hook What may be called ‘tenterhook living’ or existence on the crust of a volcano. Tenter Hook Alex had listened with tenterhook attention. Tenter Hook One of the hooks or bent nails set in a close row along the upper and lower bar of a tenter, by which the edges of the cloth are firmly held. Tenter Hook A hooked or right-angled nail or spike. Tenter Hook A metal hook upon which anything is hung. Tenter Hook Her naylys sharpe as tenter hokys. Tenter Hook The King of Marocco may stab his Subjects, throw them to the Lions or hang them upon tenterhooks. Tenter Hook A Nail with a crooked Head, yet sharp pointed, that it may strike into any thing hung upon it. Tenter Hook On examining his teeth I found that they were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat. Tenter Hook The hooks upon which the valances of a bed are hung. Tenter Hook Strong iron hooks put in ceilings and joists on which bacon and other such things are hung. Tenter Hook That on which something is stretched or strained. Tenter Hook Something that causes suffering or painful suspense. Tenter Hook The churche is stretched out in the stretcher or tenter hookes of the crosse, as a churche well washed and cleansed. Tenter Hook Ract on the tenter-hookes of foule disgrace. Tenter Hook The surest way for ladies and for books To bait their tender or their tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook To strain, distort the sense of (words). Tenter Hook To strain (conscience, truth, authority, credit, etc.) beyond the proper, normal, or natural extent, limit, or scope. Tenter Hook He racketh it, straineth it, and as it were so setteth it on the tenter hookes. Tenter Hook By setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes. Tenter Hook Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality. Tenter Hook The poor People have set their Wits, as if it were on the Tenter-hooks, to make Turnep-Bread in Essex. Tenter Hook Honest men sometimes strain truth on the tenter-hooks of fiction. Tenter Hook In a state of painful suspense or impatience. Tenter Hook I left him upon the tenter-hooks of impatient uncertainty. Tenter Hook Until I reach the imperial headquarters I shall be on tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook The author keeps the reader on tenterhooks. Tenter Hook This dogge is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth. Tenter Hook What may be called ‘tenterhook living’ or existence on the crust of a volcano. Tenter Hook Alex had listened with tenterhook attention. Tenter Hook One of the hooks or bent nails set in a close row along the upper and lower bar of a tenter, by which the edges of the cloth are firmly held. Tenter Hook A hooked or right-angled nail or spike. Tenter Hook A metal hook upon which anything is hung. Tenter Hook Her naylys sharpe as tenter hokys. Tenter Hook The King of Marocco may stab his Subjects, throw them to the Lions or hang them upon tenterhooks. Tenter Hook A Nail with a crooked Head, yet sharp pointed, that it may strike into any thing hung upon it. Tenter Hook On examining his teeth I found that they were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat. Tenter Hook The hooks upon which the valances of a bed are hung. Tenter Hook Strong iron hooks put in ceilings and joists on which bacon and other such things are hung. Tenter Hook That on which something is stretched or strained. Tenter Hook Something that causes suffering or painful suspense. Tenter Hook The churche is stretched out in the stretcher or tenter hookes of the crosse, as a churche well washed and cleansed. Tenter Hook Ract on the tenter-hookes of foule disgrace. Tenter Hook The surest way for ladies and for books To bait their tender or their tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook To strain, distort the sense of (words). Tenter Hook To strain (conscience, truth, authority, credit, etc.) beyond the proper, normal, or natural extent, limit, or scope. Tenter Hook He racketh it, straineth it, and as it were so setteth it on the tenter hookes. Tenter Hook By setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes. Tenter Hook Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality. Tenter Hook The poor People have set their Wits, as if it were on the Tenter-hooks, to make Turnep-Bread in Essex. Tenter Hook Honest men sometimes strain truth on the tenter-hooks of fiction. Tenter Hook In a state of painful suspense or impatience. Tenter Hook I left him upon the tenter-hooks of impatient uncertainty. Tenter Hook Until I reach the imperial headquarters I shall be on tenter-hooks. Tenter Hook The author keeps the reader on tenterhooks. Tenter Hook This dogge is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth. Tenter Hook What may be called ‘tenterhook living’ or existence on the crust of a volcano. Tenter Hook Alex had listened with tenterhook attention.

A Note on the Anthology Title

Kimberly Campanello

Tenterhooks (or ‘tenter-hooks’) were ever-present in Leeds during the city’s cloth-making boom. Wet woollen cloth was hung on hooks attached to wooden frames called ‘tenters’ in order to prevent it from shrinking as it dried. In the eighteenth century, the fields along the River Aire were lined with tenter frames, and to this day we have Tenter Hill and Tenter Lane. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word ‘tenterhook’ is associated with stretching, straining, unsettling, and creating suspense and refers to the state of being ‘on tenterhooks’. We are all probably familiar with the phrase ‘on tenterhooks’. In Byron’s Don Juan (1823), the poet delights in the capacity of a literary text to unsettle the reader:

tenter hook hand

      At present I am glad of pretence
To leave them hovering, as the effect is fine,
      And keeps the atrocious reader in suspense;
The surest way for ladies and for books
To bait their tender or their tenter hooks.

It’s not just readers who are ‘on tenterhooks’ – writers experience this feeling as well. To study Creative Writing is to be perpetually ‘on tenter-hooks’ – whether it’s creative strain from reaching for a good idea or the suspense of waiting for feedback on a new piece of work. To study Creative Writing is to be constantly stretched by the possibilities of language. Writers must not shrink from this challenge, and the student writers in this anthology certainly have not.

tenter hook torso