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nerve

Syllabification: (nerve)
Pronunciation: /nərv/

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Definition of nerve

noun

  • 1(in the body) a whitish fiber or bundle of fibers that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and impulses from these to the muscles and organs:the optic nerve
  • 2 (nerves) a person’s mental state, in particular the extent to which they are agitated or worried:an amazing journey that tested her nerves to the full
  • nervousness or anxiety:his first-night nerves soon disappeared
  • 3 (often one's nerve) a person’s steadiness, courage, and sense of purpose when facing a demanding situation:the army’s commanders were beginning to lose their nerve I got up the nerve to ask Miss Kinnian to have dinner with me
  • informal impudence or audacity:he had the nerve to insult my cooking she’s got nerve wearing that short skirt with those legs
  • 4 Botany a prominent unbranched rib in a leaf, especially in the midrib of the leaf of a moss.

verb

(nerve oneself)
  • brace oneself mentally to face a demanding situation:she nerved herself to enter the room

Phrases

a bundle of nerves

see bundle.

get on someone's nerves

informal irritate or annoy someone.

have nerves of steel

not be easily upset or frightened.

strain every nerve

make every possible effort.
[from the earlier sense of nerve as 'tendon, sinew']

touch (or hit or strike) a nerve (or a raw nerve)

provoke a reaction by referring to a sensitive topic:there are signs that some comments strike a raw nerve

war of nerves

a struggle in which opponents try to wear each other down by psychological means.

Derivatives

nerved

adjective
[usually in combination]:she was still raw-nerved from reliving the past

Origin:

late Middle English (also in the sense 'tendon, sinew'): from Latin nervus; related to Greek neuron 'nerve' (see neuron)

nerve in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of nerve in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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