Definition of "nerve-stretching" [nerve-stretching]

• In surgery, the operation of forcibly stretching a nerve, as for neuralgia. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "He watched the clear black stream of coffee, strong, hot, nerve-stretching, pour into his cup."
• "The inaction, the nerve-stretching tension, made almost unbearable by the thundery heat and the sweating uncertainty of that long vigil, suddenly snapped, in a wild shout from both sides of the field."
• "There was nerve-stretching delay, for it had to be routed over land-wire to Kansas City, and some chief operator had to be convinced that she should commandeer a trunk line that was in commercial use."