nerve

nerve¹ W3S3 [nə:v US nə:rv] n

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1¦(worried feelings)¦

2¦(body part)¦

3¦(courage)¦

4 get on somebody's nerves

5¦(lack of respect)¦

6 touch/hit a (raw) nerve

7 nerves of steel

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Latin; Origin: nervus]

1.) ¦(WORRIED FEELINGS)¦

nerves [plural]

a) used to talk about someone being worried or frightened

sb's nerves are on edge/in tatters/frayed

(=someone feels very worried or frightened)

calm/steady your nerves

(=stop yourself feeling worried or frightened)

▪ Sean drank a large glass of brandy to calm his nerves.

be a bundle/bag of nerves

(=be extremely worried or frightened)

▪ I remember you were a bundle of nerves on your wedding day.

b) the feeling of being worried or a little frightened

▪ A lot of people suffer from nerves before they go on stage.

▪ 'What's wrong with Rachel?' 'It's just nerves. She's got her driving test tomorrow.'

exam/first-night etc nerves

2.) ¦(BODY PART)¦

nerves are parts inside your body which look like threads and carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body

▪ a condition which affects the nerves in the back

trapped nerve

BrE /pinched nerve

AmE (=a nerve that has been crushed between two muscles etc, causing a lot of pain)

3.) ¦(COURAGE)¦[U]

courage and confidence in a dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation

the nerve to do sth

▪ Not many people have the nerve to stand up and speak in front of a large audience.

▪ She finally found the nerve to tell him she wanted a divorce.

▪ It takes a lot of nerve to report a colleague for sexual harassment.

lose your nerve

(=suddenly become very nervous so that you cannot do what you intended to do)

▪ Jensen would've won if he hadn't lost his nerve.

hold/keep your nerve

(=remain calm in a difficult situation)

▪ It's hard to keep your nerve when people keep interrupting you.

4.) get on sb's nerves informal

if someone gets on your nerves, they annoy you, especially by doing something all the time

▪ She's always moaning. It really gets on my nerves.

5.) ¦(LACK OF RESPECT)¦ [singular]

spoken if you say someone has a nerve, you mean that they have done something unsuitable or impolite, without seeming to be embarrassed about behaving in this way

= ↑cheek

▪ He's got a nerve asking for more money.

▪ 'She didn't say sorry or anything.' ' What a nerve !'

have the nerve to do sth

▪ She lets me do all the work, and then she has the nerve to criticize my cooking.

6.) touch/hit a (raw) nerve

to mention something that makes someone upset, angry, or embarrassed, especially accidentally

▪ Without realizing, he had touched a raw nerve.

7.) nerves of steel

the ability to be brave and calm in a dangerous or difficult situation

▪ The job requires nerves of steel.

→strain every nerve at ↑strain² (6)

nerve ²

nerve² v

nerve yourself to do sth/for sth

to force yourself to be brave enough to do something difficult or dangerous

▪ The parachutist nerved himself for the jump.