I could see then that what I had taken for energy was a kind of drawn and dangerous tightness, nerves and sinews twanging like bowstrings.

They had gone a kilometer inward when nerves twanged and weapons snapped to aim.

Again it seemed to take ages and the tension increased until our nerves fairly twanged.

Meanwhile, Edelston's nerves were twanging dangerously, and he feared they would snap at any moment if the matter at hand was not addressed promptly.

The innkeeper's nerves had been twanging like the strings of a badly tuned lyre ever since the sun had been high.

Still breathing hard while his nerves twanged with excitement, he started the motor.

They saved his eyes for last pulling them out slowly until the optic nerves twanged like slim metal cables and finally broke loose.

His nerves were twanging as it was.

My nerves were twanging like a bass guitar.

I said, every nerve in my body twanging from the shock.