Nail biter

Meaning

The idiom "nail biter" refers to a person who is very anxious or nervous before an event or situation that may affect them greatly, such as a performance or a test. It comes from the idea of biting one's nails nervously or anxiously.

Usage

• John was such a nail biter before his important presentation at work today.
• The final round of the competition had me biting my nails in anticipation.
• My daughter was so nervous about her dance recital that she barely ate anything and kept biting her nails.
• I knew it would be a tough game, but I tried to keep my cool and not become a nail biter.
• After hearing the shocking news, he began biting his nails nervously and couldn't stop until several hours later.

Roots and History

The earliest known use of the idiom "nail biter" was in 1603, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It comes from Old English "bite", which means "to gnaw". The idea of biting one's nails nervously or anxiously became a common way to describe someone who is very anxious or nervous before an event or situation that may affect them greatly. Over time, the idiom has become more commonly used to describe people in general who are very anxious or nervous about something.

Synonyms in English

• Jittery
• Nervous wreck
• On edge
• Agitated
• Anxious

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "nervieux" (anxious)
• German: "ängstlich" (anxious)
• Spanish: "emocionado/a" (excited)
• Italian: "emozionato/a" (excited)
• Japanese: "わかりません" (nervous)

Similar Idioms

• through thick and thin

• not all it’s cracked up to be

• fair and square