nerve
Americannoun
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one or more bundles of fibers forming part of a system that conveys impulses of sensation, motion, etc., between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body.
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a sinew or tendon.
to strain every nerve.
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firmness or courage under trying circumstances.
an assignment requiring nerve;
to lose your nerve at the very last moment.
- Synonyms:
- resolution, fortitude, intrepidity, steadfastness
-
boldness; audacity; impudence; impertinence.
He had the nerve to say that?
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nerves, nervousness.
an attack of nerves.
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strength, vigor, or energy.
a test of nerve and stamina.
- Antonyms:
- weakness
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(not in technical use) pulp tissue of a tooth.
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Botany. a vein, as in a leaf.
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a line, or one of a system of lines, extending across something.
verb (used with object)
idioms
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bundle of nerves. see bundle of nerves.
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have nerves of steel, to be able to control one’s fear or unease and remain calm and competent, even in the worst of circumstances.
I thought I had nerves of steel, but when we had to dissect a pig, I turned into a jellyfish.
-
get on one's nerves, to irritate, annoy, or provoke one.
Boisterous children get on my nerves.
noun
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any of the cordlike bundles of fibres that conduct sensory or motor impulses between the brain or spinal cord and another part of the body
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courage, bravery, or steadfastness
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to become timid, esp failing to perform some audacious act
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informal boldness or effrontery; impudence
he had the nerve to swear at me
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muscle or sinew (often in the phrase strain every nerve )
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a large vein in a leaf
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any of the veins of an insect's wing
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to mention or bring to mind a sensitive issue or subject
verb
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to give courage to (oneself); steel (oneself)
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to provide with nerve or nerves
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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nervesimple
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nervessimple
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have nervedperfect
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has nervedperfect
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am nervingprogressive
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are nervingprogressive
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is nervingprogressive
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have been nervingperfect progressive
-
has been nervingperfect progressive
Past
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nervedsimple
-
had nervedperfect
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was nervingprogressive
-
were nervingprogressive
-
had been nervingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nerve
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “nerve, tendon,” from Latin nervus “sinew, tendon”; akin to Greek neûron ( see neuron); replacing Middle English nerf, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
A nerve is a group of fibers that send sensation or physical feeling to the brain. Back pain can sometimes be caused by a damaged or pinched nerve. Your body depends on your nerves for sensing pain, heat, and cold — not to mention making it possible for you to move your muscles. You can also use the word nerve to mean bravery or daring: "She didn't know if she'd have the nerve to skydive when she was finally up in the plane." In the 1500s, to nerve was "to ornament with threads." All of these come from a Latin root, nervus, "sinew, tendon, cord, or bowstring."
Vocabulary lists containing nerve
"Raymond's Run"
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Psychology
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Human Anatomy and Physiology - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Neural circuits are networks of connected nerve cells that process information.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Addressing staff, he said it would be the "nerve centre for a rewired Britain" and not a "short-lived gimmick".
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Or a vagus nerve stimulator from Truvaga for $499.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm," his parents said on the fundraising page, which has so far raised over £67,000.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
I hesitated for a few seconds, almost losing my nerve.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
That has frayed nerves more than once in the area.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
“My nerves are all over the place,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
“I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves, because it’s something that is so unique,” Balogun said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
When she led 6-2 5-2 with five championship points against Karolina Muchova, Noskova's nerves had hit, and she found herself dragged to a deciding set.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Her nerves wouldn’t let her sleep, so she decided to tell Mother a story.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
“He can get a little nerved up in the paddock,” said Shirreffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2021
Then followed a few scruffy years on local TV, including his celebrated stint as a smart-aleck weatherman, before he nerved himself to head to Los Angeles in 1975.
From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2017
Less a teen-age Rangerphile than an arachnophobe encountering a tarantula, I nerved myself to walk over to where Lindsay sat and confronted him, boy to man.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 19, 2015
Secretary Hull & Delegates nerved themselves to present two statements of U. S. policy, the first of which they feared might wreck the Conference then and there.
From Time Magazine Archive
This means that what is probable changes over time; but Locke never nerved himself up to take the further step of saying that knowledge itself changes over time.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Last week, in the salty little city of Bath, Me., the moment lor which Mrs. Vanderbilt had been nerving herself finally arrived.
From Time Magazine Archive
As the story starts, the singer is nerving herself to ask a doctor whether or not she has a cancer.
From Time Magazine Archive
Amateur championships nerving himself up to proper pitch.
From Time Magazine Archive
She stood outside nerving herself for the ordeal, knowing her desk would be the only one without flowers.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Then nerving myself, I made one last appeal.
From The Heart of Denise and Other Tales by Levett-Yeats, S. (Sidney)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
