- white-knuckle
-
also white-knuckled
adjective
Date: 1974
marked by, causing, or experiencing tense nervousness <a white-knuckle ride on a roller coaster> <a white-knuckle passenger>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
white-knuckle
Look at other dictionaries:
white-knuckle — adj [only before noun] a white knuckle ride at a ↑fairground makes you feel excited and afraid at the same time … Dictionary of contemporary English
white-knuckle — white ,knuckle adjective a white knuckle ride or trip makes you feel very frightened because it is exciting or dangerous … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
white-knuckle — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ causing fear or nervous excitement. ORIGIN with reference to the effect caused by gripping tightly to steady oneself on a fairground ride … English terms dictionary
white-knuckle — [hwīt′nuk΄əl, wīt′nuk΄əl] adj. [from the appearance of a hand clenched in fear] Informal of or causing great fear, suspense, dread, etc … English World dictionary
white-knuckle — 1) ADJ: ADJ n In a fairground, a white knuckle ride is any large machine that people ride on which is very exciting but also frightening. ...white knuckle rides such as the loop the loop Python rollercoaster and the Pirana adventure through… … English dictionary
white-knuckle — 1. mod. having to do with an event that creates a lot of tension, especially an airplane flight. □ We came in during the storm on a white knuckle flight from Chicago. 2. mod. of a person who is made tense by something such as flying or sailing. □ … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
white-knuckle — /waɪt ˈnʌkəl/ (say wuyt nukuhl) adjective 1. arousing extreme fear, anxiety or panic: that was a white knuckle trip in the car. –phrase (white knuckled, white knuckling) 2. white knuckle it, Chiefly US to endure courageously, especially drug… …
white-knuckle — /hwuyt nuk euhl, wuyt /, adj. Informal. 1. causing fear, apprehension, or panic: The plane made a white knuckle approach to the fogged in airport. 2. experiencing fear, terror, or apprehension: The white knuckle crowd loved that director s newest … Universalium
white-knuckle — ˈ ̷ ̷ ¦ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ adjective also white knuckled ˈ ̷ ̷ ¦ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ : marked by, causing, or experiencing tense nervousness a white knuckle ride on a roller coaster a white knuckle passenger … Useful english dictionary
white-knuckle — adjective Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness. BP said its capped off well appeared to be holding steady Friday morning, almost midway into a white knuckle waiting period in which engineers watched the pressure gauges … Wiktionary
