A tenter was a person who stretched the cloth on a machine whilst it was drying (the derivation of the phase “to be on tenterhooks”). Also, a person who looked after and maintained the machine used in the process.
A Back Tenter was employed at the back of the weaving looms, clearing away debris.
Also, Tenting was a term for watching items or a process; a person who generally looked after something, e.g. a door tenter or pony tenter in the coal mining trade.
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