"pins & needles"?

[A. Maberry]

>From OR and WA I'd expect "on pins and needles" and find "on tenterhooks"
odd. I know what the expression means but wouldn't use it in speech.

allen
maberry at u.washington.edu


On Thu, 10 Oct 2002, sagehen wrote:

> In describing the state of alarm & nervous expectation experienced by
> people in the D.C. area because of the recent sniper shootings, a reporter
> on NPR this morning used the expression  "on pins & needles" where I'd have
> expected "on tenterhooks."  Anyone else find this odd?
> A. Murie
>