to keep someone on edge
2
7.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
mantener a alguien en vilo
- "It keeps you on the edge and always competitive, which is a good thing in any training environment—when you're interacting with friends, then it's not frustrating," Nielsen said.
- keep the audience on edge of their seats
Examples
-
Her stern, businesslike manners certainly kept Bill on edge.
Fiction book (1998) -
The suspenseful movie kept me on edge until the very end.
-
Just trying to keep us on edge.
-
Plenty of unexpected events keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
Blog text (17) -
It will keep you on the edge of your seat.
-
Where a string of burglaries is keeping homeowners on edge.
-
If you're a fan of horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat and tries to make you jump out of it more than once, absolutely.
Blog text (17) -
Being around Walt made her nervous, and she was honest enough to admit it wasn't only his well-deserved contempt that kept her on edge.
Fiction book (1992) -
The thrilling novel will keep you on edge with its unexpected twists.
-
She tells stories that keep everyone on edge, eager to find out what happens next.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To make someone feel nervous or upset about possible problems
42
4.8
To make people feel strongly excited or upset
20
6.3
To make someone feel nervous and less confident
12
5.8
To cause a sudden feeling of fear or strong excitement that makes someone shiver
7
4.9
To make someone feel worried or uneasy
7
7.0
To make someone feel worried or uneasy
1
6.0
Cause someone to feel a sudden strong fear or excitement
1
5.9
Make someone feel a sudden strong fear or excitement
Antonyms
How Tense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'keep' (to maintain) combined with the locative phrase 'on edge' (metaphorical use of 'edge' to mean tense/nervous) gives a recognisable sense of maintaining someone's tension, so part of the meaning is derivable from the parts. However, 'on edge' is a conventionalized metaphorical idiom whose specific sense (nervous/excited uncertainty) is not fully predictable from the literal 'edge' for an average B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The phrase keep someone on edge comes from the image of a person standing on an edge, almost ready to fall, so they feel tense and ready for anything. That's why it means 'to make someone feel excited, nervous, or uncertain'.