bite one's nails
Chew fingertips nervously
To bite one's nails is to chew on one's fingernails, typically as a nervous habit or when anxious.
The phrase extends figuratively to describe a state of anxious anticipation: We were biting our nails waiting for the test results.
A nail-biter is something suspenseful—a close game, a tense movie—that keeps you in suspense until the very end.
Irresistible urge to act
- fidgetingRestless minor movements
- gnawingPersistent biting action
- chewingCrushing food orally
- pickingAct of selecting
nervous habit · repetitive · unconscious · automatic · self-soothing · stress response · oral fixation · quirk
Uneasy and apprehensive
- anxiousTroubled by uncertainty
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
- tenseStrained or nervous
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
apprehensive · jittery · edgy · restless · fidgety · agitated · fretful · on edge
Cosmetic fingertip grooming
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- emery boardAbrasive grooming strip
- buffingFriction-based shine work
- hangnailTorn cuticle fragment
State of awaiting something
- suspensefulCreating anxious anticipation
- tensionStretched or strained state
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- waitingRemaining in expectation
expectation · dread · foreboding · trepidation · cliff-hanger · edge of seat · breathless · gripping
compulsion
Irresistible urge to act
nervous habit · picking · repetitive · unconscious · automatic · self-soothing · stress response · oral fixation · quirk · mannerism
nervous
Uneasy and apprehensive
uneasy · apprehensive · jittery · edgy · restless · fidgety · agitated · fretful · on edge · overwrought
manicure
Cosmetic fingertip grooming
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- emery boardAbrasive grooming strip
- buffingFriction-based shine work
anticipation
State of awaiting something
- suspensefulCreating anxious anticipation
- tensionStretched or strained state
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
waiting · expectation · dread · foreboding · trepidation · cliff-hanger · edge of seat · breathless · gripping · thriller
bite one's nailsstay calm
Remain unruffled
keep one's cool · relax · chill out · not have a care in the world · breathe easy
bite one's nailskeep still
Refrain from moving
sit back · lean back · twiddle one's thumbs · kick back · put one's feet up
bite, bites, biting, bitten, biter, ones, nail, nails, nailed