bite (one's) nails
1. Literally, to chew on one's fingernails and shorten them. I wish I didn't bite my nails, but it's been such a hard habit to try to break. My sister gets regular manicures to keep from biting her nails. A: "Hey, quit biting your nails!" B: "Sorry, it's a nervous habit."
2. To nervously await something. I've been biting my nails ever since I submitted my application for my first-choice college. There's nothing else we can do except bite our nails and wait for the realtor to call with an update. Carrie's been biting her nails all week, but the doctor finally called with her test results, and everything is fine.
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