At the start of the interview Elysa was on tenterhooks and tried to calm her nerves down. At the start of the interview Elysa was on tenterhooks and tried to calm her nerves down. By Serena, Writers Studio School of English Related: With a bated breath, everyone was waiting for the competition’s results to be announced. She was like a cat on hot bricks as anticipation filled her about the swimming outcome. Odelia had her heart in her mouth when she saw her baby playing with candles and lighters. Ravyn had the heebie-jeebies when she walked down the canal in the middle of the night.