Anxious seat

also called anxious bench. chiefly north atlantic states and southern and south midland u.s. a seat reserved at a revival meeting for those troubled by conscience and eager for spiritual -ssistance.
a state of anxiety, especially about the outcome of a vote, negotiation, etc.:
strikers have been in the anxious seat for the last three days.
historical examples

let each worshiper be a mourner over his sins, each pew an anxious seat.
the way of salvation in the lutheran church g. h. gerberding

ill turn up some day in the anxious seat when you dont expect me.
a singular life elizabeth stuart phelps

during this time mrs. dare had been on the anxious seat, so to speak.
the dare boys of 1776 stephen angus c-x

that took him off of the anxious seat and put him on the solid.
the adventures of a forty-niner daniel knower

both, certainly, were new, and both prescribed one capital and fundamental principle-‘the anxious seat.’
the knickerbocker, vol. 10, no. 2, august 1837 various

there now were nine applicants on the anxious seat in the reception room.
certain success norval a. hawkins

i have been on the anxious seat ever since i received your telegram.
randy of the river horatio alger jr.

a smile illumined his pleasant features as he remembered that mr. bobo, like himself, was sitting upon the anxious seat.
bunch gr-ss horace annesley vach-ll

they kept persistently after us, and we were more or less on the anxious seat, till it did get dark.
raw gold bertrand w. sinclair

publishers are now sometimes kept on the anxious seat for months awaiting decisions which may wreck their businesses.
the development of rates of postage a. d. smith