Meaning: very exciting, outcome not certain. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: a heart-stopper
Rewrite 2: a fist-banger
Rewrite 3: a carpet wear-and-tearer
Rewrite 4: a floor-thumper
Rewrite 5: a foot-tapper

Comment: I’ve tried to describe some of the things you might do while nervously watching a very intense situation. I’m sure there are more.

More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Hyde Park Associates: “2006 model year clichés introduced.”

Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.

Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.