definitions

nervy

[ nur-vee ]
/ ˈnɜr vi /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nervy ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, nerv·i·er, nerv·i·est.

brashly presumptuous or insolent; pushy: a nervy thing to say; a nervy trick to pull.
having or showing courage; brave or bold: the nervy feats of the mountaineers.
strong; sinewy; vigorous: a hard, nervy physique.
Chiefly British. straining one's patience or forbearance; trying.
nervous; excitable; on edge.

RELATED WORDS

cheeky, crass, crude, forward, fresh, impudent, inconsiderate, pert, plucky, rude, sassy, smart, wise

Nearby words

nervously, nervule, nervuration, nervure, nervus, nervy, nesbit, nescience, nescient, nesh, nesosilicate

Origin of nervy

First recorded in 1600–10; nerve + -y1
Related formsnerv·i·ly, adverbnerv·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nervy

British Dictionary definitions for nervy

nervy

/ (ˈnɜːvɪ) /

adjective nervier or nerviest

British informal tense or apprehensive
having or needing bravery or endurance
US and Canadian informal brash or cheeky
archaic muscular; sinewy
Derived Formsnervily, adverbnerviness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nervy

nervy

adj.

"full of courage," 1870, from nerve + -y (2). Sense of "excitable" is from 1891.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper