nervy

[ nur-vee ]

/ ˈnɜr vi /

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See synonyms for: nervy / nerviness 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.

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Origin of nervy

First recorded in 1600–10; nerve + -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM nervy

nerv·i·ly, adverbnerv·i·ness, noun

Words nearby nervy

nervous system, nervous wreck, nervule, nervuration, nervure, nervy, n.e.s., Nesbit, nescience, nesh, nesosilicate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use nervy in a sentence

The bodega owner had to be able to rap, which wasn’t necessarily a common skill among aspiring Broadway stars at the time — but it was one Miranda had, in addition to a nervy, rangy stage presence that worked well with the show’s underdog energy.
How In the Heights went from a student musical to one of the summer’s biggest movies|Constance Grady|June 11, 2021|Vox
The nervy electricity and joy of the film, arriving at this moment in time, are an unbeatable combo.
The long-awaited In the Heights movie is electrifying and perfectly timed|Alissa Wilkinson|May 21, 2021|Vox
Nervy as men are made, MacRae worshiped at the shrine of an even break, a square deal for friend or foe.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
He must be getting nervy, he thought, and continued his inspection of the wallet.
The Daffodil Mystery|Edgar Wallace

The magistrate of Esifeni was not a timid man, but the monotony of life at his remote post rather tended to make him “nervy.”
Forging the Blades|Bertram Mitford
He was one of the gregarious sort, a loud talker, nervy really, very familiar with all the passengers.
Sea and Sardinia|D. H. Lawrence
Oh, ho, I see you are not as nervy as I thought, there was a mischievous glint in his merry black eyes.
Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer|Rena I. Halsey

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 forms of nervy

nervily, 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

nervy

Origin of nervy

OTHER WORDS FROM nervy

Words nearby nervy

Words related to nervy

How to use nervy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nervy

Derived forms of nervy