nervous
- 01 A2 Elementary
feeling worried, afraid, or slightly anxious about something that is going to happen.
experiencing or manifesting apprehension, anxiety, or unease, typically regarding a future event or uncertain outcome.
Simple“I felt very nervous before my first job interview, but it went well.”
In context“The young pianist was visibly nervous as she walked onto the stage, though her hands remained perfectly steady once the performance began.”
PitfallI am nervous for the exam. I am nervous about the exam.While 'for' is sometimes heard in casual speech, 'about' is the standard preposition used to describe the cause of nervousness.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
relating to the nerves in your body that carry messages to the brain.
relating to the biological nerves or the system that transmits impulses through the body.
Simple“The nervous system helps your brain communicate with the rest of your body.”
In context“The patient suffered from a rare nervous disorder that affected his motor skills and coordination.”
UsageCommonly used in the fixed phrase 'nervous system'.
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
having a personality that is easily worried or scared.
possessing a highly excitable or easily agitated temperament.
Simple“The horse is quite nervous, so please move slowly and keep your voice down.”
In context“The rescue dog was initially very nervous around strangers, cowering whenever someone approached his kennel too quickly.”
Usage nervous system · nervous systems
From Middle English nervous (“composed of or incorporating nerves”), from Latin nervōsus (“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”), from nervus (“nerve; muscle; sinew, tendon; (figuratively) energy, power; nerve; force, strength, vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). The English word is analysable as nerve + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.