What does "nerve" mean?

1. (body part) a thin fiber in your body that carries messages between your brain and your muscles or skin. 2. (courage) the bravery or confidence you need to do something difficult or dangerous. 3. (rudeness) a quality of being rude or having too much confidence in a way that annoys others. 4. (anxiety) a feeling of being worried, excited, or nervous, especially before an important event. 5. (leaf structure) one of the thin lines on a leaf that carries water and food. 6. (to prepare oneself) to make yourself feel brave or strong before doing something difficult.

How do you use "nerve"?

Usually used in the plural form 'nerves'. Often used with 'oneself'.

nerve

n. · v.

US //ˈnɝv// UK //nˈɜːv// nerve

1 body part (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

a thin fiber in your body that carries messages between your brain and your muscles or skin.

a bundle of fibers that transmits impulses of sensation or motion between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body.

Example

The doctor checked if the accident had caused any permanent nerve damage in his hand.

Example

The surgeon worked meticulously to avoid severing the optic nerve, which would have resulted in irreversible vision loss for the patient.
- fiber
- neuron
2 courage (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the bravery or confidence you need to do something difficult or dangerous.

the quality of being brave or determined in the face of danger or difficulty.

Example

It took a lot of nerve to stand up and speak in front of such a large crowd.

Example

The young pilot showed incredible nerve when he managed to land the damaged aircraft safely despite the failing engines.
- cowardice
- fear

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3 rudeness (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

a quality of being rude or having too much confidence in a way that annoys others.

impudent audacity or gall; behavior that is perceived as disrespectful or overly bold.

Example

He had the nerve to ask for more money after doing such a poor job.

Example

The neighbors had the absolute nerve to complain about our music when they host loud parties every single weekend.
- politeness
- modesty
4 anxiety (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a feeling of being worried, excited, or nervous, especially before an important event.

a state of mental agitation or apprehension, typically used in the plural form.

Example

She suffered from bad nerves before her final piano recital.

Example

The constant noise from the construction site next door was beginning to get on his nerves, making it impossible to focus on his writing.

Usage

Usually used in the plural form 'nerves'.
- calm
- composure
5 leaf structure (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

one of the thin lines on a leaf that carries water and food.

a vein or rib in the framework of a leaf or an insect's wing.

Example

If you look closely at the leaf, you can see the tiny nerves branching out.

Example

The botanist examined the pattern of the nerves in the specimen to determine which subspecies of oak it belonged to.
- vein
- rib
6 to prepare oneself (v.)
C1 Advanced Literary

to make yourself feel brave or strong before doing something difficult.

to brace or prepare oneself for a demanding or unpleasant task.

Example

He had to nerve himself for the difficult conversation with his boss.

Example

She nerved herself for the long climb ahead, knowing that the summit was still several hours away through the thickening mist.

Usage

Often used with 'oneself'.

Origin

Recorded since circa 1374 as Middle English nerve, from Medieval Latin nervus (“nerve”), from Latin nervus (“sinew”). Doublet of neuron and sinew. Verb verb sense 4 is chiefly a semantic loan from German nerven.

Idioms2 entries