knuckler

white-knuckler

slang A situation, experience, event, etc., that is marked or characterized by intense fear, anxiety, or stress. The last quarter of the game was a real white-knuckler, with the home team defending a two-point advantage against an offensive onslaught by their opponents. Driving so close to the edge of the cliff was a white-knuckler, to be sure.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

white knuckler

1. n. a tense and nervous person. You white knucklers are just going to have to relax.
2. n. a suspenseful event, such as an exciting movie or a rough airplane flight. The movie was a real white knuckler.
See also: knuckler, white
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • cat-and-mouse game
  • male gaze
  • a dog-eat-dog world
  • a chapter of accidents
  • hard luck
  • have a charmed existence
  • lead a charmed existence
  • lead a charmed life
  • live a charmed existence
  • live a charmed life
References in periodicals archive
"Well, in your case then, you can use a knuckler to rest your arm.
Then a Hough knuckler got away from catcher Scott for a passed ball.
"McGuireisms" such as "tap city," "white knuckler" and "aircraft carrier" became part of the sport's vocabulary.
The Bruins, after going scoreless on their first five power plays, finally tied it up when Bergeron deflected defenseman Dougie Hamilton's long knuckler past backup goalie Peter Budaj.
Arencibia knew from stepping into the batter's box against Boston Red Sox knuckler Tim Wakefield, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia catching, that corralling a knuckleball was not easy.
Familiar with Gene's knuckler, he knew that it broke low, veering outside the strike zone.
It was an accident, just like the knuckler from Toronto's R.A.
Dickey throws a knuckler for the Mets, but his victory total is a mere 41--and he turned 37 back in October.
Then the catcher nodded, plopped his mitt face up on the dirt, and I watched as the lanky Negro fire-bailer uncoiled his long arm and released a dancing knuckler that floated shoulder high before it darted to the left and then fell off an invisible table into the catcher's glove.
"It was kind of a knuckler," Ginn said of the shot.
That knuckler probably came in around 54 miles an hour.
Still, in the style of former Red Sox star Tim Wakefield, Richard's knuckler has helped the team to several city championships, including last year when the Ale House won 17 of 18 games.
At that stage in his career, he was getting hitters out with a dominating fastball, one that had long since abandoned him by 1969, when developing his knuckler as a Pilot.
Wakefield threw one last knuckler to Mirabelli to close the festivities.
His repertoire included a sinking fastball, curve, and occasional knuckler