on pins and needles

"Unlike the strong, determined character in Stephen King’s novel, Wendy in the film version fears Jack’s violent temper, which threatens to explode at any moment. Duvall’s Wendy lives in constant dread, perhaps unconsciously so, of Jack’s emotional and physical outbursts — and so she spends most of the film on pins and needles."

The region is now on pins and needles awaiting reprisals from Iran, Hezbollah and perhaps other Iranian proxy groups, risking escalation and wider war.

“I mean, we have not discussed it. And not even just for me. The people who work there. They’re the ones on pins and needles. Just say something to let the people be able to breathe a little bit. I can’t imagine having a family and bills, because realistically, you probably gotta start looking for another job.”

“We’re on pins and needles, mate,” said Mother.

“We waited on pins and needles for 12 days,” she said.