--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the…" description: "\"Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the anxious seat.\" — Robert E. Sherwood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b2/robert-e-sherwood-36984_anxiety_tenterhooks-are-the-upholstery-of-the-an_1370834.png" --- # Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the anxious seat. ![“Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the anxious seat.” quote by Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b2/robert-e-sherwood-36984_anxiety_tenterhooks-are-the-upholstery-of-the-an_1370834.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b2/robert-e-sherwood-36984_anxiety_tenterhooks-are-the-upholstery-of-the-an_1370834.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b2/robert-e-sherwood-36984_anxiety_tenterhooks-are-the-upholstery-of-the-an_1370834.png) > “Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the anxious seat.” [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anxiety turns anticipation into a painful, uncomfortable state, like being trapped in a seat that hurts. **In simple terms:** Anxiety feels like being stuck in an uncomfortable seat. Key Takeaway Recognize and release tension. Themes anxiety anticipation discomfort Mood nervous tense Type observational metaphorical When to use this quote - public speaking - exam preparation - first dates - performance anxiety Key Concepts psychology stress metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your anxiety? - How can you transform tension into focus? A Different Perspective Anxiety may also motivate preparation, not just discomfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Upholstery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upholstery/) ## Related quotes > [“Open ground was very important to the cloth industry: when large bolts of fabric were treated, they needed to be dried on the ‘tenter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-inglis/open-ground-was-very-important-to-the-cloth-industry-when-large-bolts/) [Lucy Inglis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-inglis/) > [ If I do manage to come up with a scheme \[to naming\], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme-to-naming-however-i-stick-to/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [I hate the word "eclectic" .I'm a classicist, and I like comfort. 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You must be careful, careful about calling people out of their names, using racial pejoratives and sexual pejoratives and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/words-are-things-you-must-be-careful-careful-about-calling-people-out/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I actually did an upholstery course a little while ago and have a brand-new sewing machine with my name on it, ready to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/i-actually-did-an-upholstery-course-a-little-while-ago-and-have-a/) [Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/) > [Deep downy upholstery is absolutely what I've always been about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hadley/deep-downy-upholstery-is-absolutely-what-i-ve-always-been-about/) [Albert Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hadley/) > [Mum had a job fitting upholstery into cars, but, in the evenings, she worked as a seamstress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-tonioli/mum-had-a-job-fitting-upholstery-into-cars-but-in-the-evenings-she/) [Bruno Tonioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-tonioli/) > [She was clean": no piercings, tattoos, or scarifications. All the kids were now. And who could blame them, Alex thought, after watching three generations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/she-was-clean-no-piercings-tattoos-or-scarifications-all-the-kids/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [By the way, don’t breathe on the upholstery or I may have to gut you. (Nick)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/by-the-way-don-t-breathe-on-the-upholstery-or-i-may-have-to-gut-you/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I started my own little carpet and upholstery cleaning business. I've done it for 20 years. I live well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-kirk/i-started-my-own-little-carpet-and-upholstery-cleaning-business-i-ve/) [Tommy Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-kirk/) > [The scrub sink...is the place where doctors wash their hands after they operate so that they won't get flecks of your vital organs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-scrub-sink-is-the-place-where-doctors-wash-their-hands-after-they/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I've always loved great upholstery, and think that a great sofa is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-berk/i-ve-always-loved-great-upholstery-and-think-that-a-great-sofa-is-one/) [Bobby Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-berk/) > [Choose upholstery that makes a big statement with texture, colour and design to define the space and colour that demands attention. Peacock blue with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-farr/choose-upholstery-that-makes-a-big-statement-with-texture-colour-and/) [Hilary Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-farr/) > [People buy very badly made furniture and fabric. Instead, buy a beautiful dining table, well-made upholstery. It's almost like dressing for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-smith/people-buy-very-badly-made-furniture-and-fabric-instead-buy-a/) [Michael S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-smith/) ## More by Robert E. Sherwood > [He must be independent and brave, and sure of himself and of the importance of his work, because if he isn't he will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/he-must-be-independent-and-brave-and-sure-of-himself-and-of-the/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [The only people who grow old were born old to begin with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/the-only-people-who-grow-old-were-born-old-to-begin-with/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [The happiest miser on earth is the man who saves up every friend he can make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/the-happiest-miser-on-earth-is-the-man-who-saves-up-every-friend-he/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [To be able to write a play a man must be sensitive, imaginative, naive, gullible, passionate; he must be something of an imbecile, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/to-be-able-to-write-a-play-a-man-must-be-sensitive-imaginative-naive/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [That's the whole story of my life: frustration. 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The game that never means anything, and never ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/poor-dear-god-playing-idiot-s-delight-the-game-that-never-means/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [All Coolidge had to do in 1924 was to keep his mean trap shut, to be elected. All Harding had to do in 1920…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/all-coolidge-had-to-do-in-1924-was-to-keep-his-mean-trap-shut-to-be/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [I remember when I was younger, there was a well-known writer who used to dart down the back way whenever saw me coming. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/i-remember-when-i-was-younger-there-was-a-well-known-writer-who-used/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [The trouble with me is, I belong to a vanishing race. I'm one of the intellectuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/the-trouble-with-me-is-i-belong-to-a-vanishing-race-i-m-one-of-the/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) [Explore all 12 Robert E. Sherwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tenterhooks are the upholstery of the anxious seat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert E. 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