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nervous

adj.
US //ˈnɝvəs// UK //nˈɜːvəs// ner·vous
  1. 1 worried or anxious (adj.)
    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.

    Example

    I felt very nervous before my first job interview, but it went well.

    Example

    The young pianist was visibly nervous as she walked onto the stage, though her hands remained perfectly steady once the performance began.
    Pitfall
    I 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.

  2. 2 relating to nerves (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

    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.

    Example

    The nervous system helps your brain communicate with the rest of your body.

    Example

    The patient suffered from a rare nervous disorder that affected his motor skills and coordination.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the fixed phrase 'nervous system'.
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  1. 3 easily frightened (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    having a personality that is easily worried or scared.

    possessing a highly excitable or easily agitated temperament.

    Example

    The horse is quite nervous, so please move slowly and keep your voice down.

    Example

    The rescue dog was initially very nervous around strangers, cowering whenever someone approached his kennel too quickly.
    • high strung
    • jumpy
Origin

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.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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