What are tenterhooks?

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:41, 6 replies, latest was 13 years ago)

www.thefreedictionary.com/tenterhooks
( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:42, Reply)

Where does the phrase originate?

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:44, Reply)

Here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenterden
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:46, Reply)

A tenter is used to dry wool without it shrinking as part of the manufacturing process.
So to be on tenterhooks is to be stretched, or under strain and exposed.
(PsychoChomp, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:47, Reply)

Sounds reasonable
Can't be bothered to check validity
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:48, Reply)

Well it's right, you lazy cunt.

(PsychoChomp, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:55, Reply)

Thing for holding cloth while it dries to stop shrinkage

(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:48, Reply)

hooks on a tenter

(PsychoChomp, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:42, Reply)

Hooks on a tenter, of course.

(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:43, Reply)

hooks on a tenter i'd have said.

( Windy Pig I'm naturally quite suspicious about the moon., Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:46, Reply)

Seeing as no-one is giving you a sensible answer
I'm going to say 'hooks on a tenter' here.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 10:46, Reply)

It originally comes from the practice
Of the British Raj, where the officers would require a large amount and varity of monkey prositutes to satisfy their urges. They also required the monkeys to be very stupid hence the order of:

Ten Dur Ho Oooks
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Wed 12 Dec 2012, 11:11, Reply)