nerve

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   One of the thin fibres in your body that carry messages between your brain and other parts.

   The accident damaged a nerve in his arm.

2. 2
   noun

   Feelings of worry or fear before an important event (usually plural).

   She had a bad case of nerves before the big test.

3. 3
   noun

   The courage or confidence to do something difficult or risky.

   I wanted to ask her to dance, but I lost my nerve.

4. 4
   noun

   Rude confidence; the boldness to do something unacceptable.

   He had the nerve to enter my house uninvited.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Nerve was borrowed in late Middle English from Latin nervus, which had meanings including “nerve,” “sinew,” “penis,” “plant fibre,” “strength,” “vigour,” and “energy.” It probably shares an Indo-European root with Greek neuron. The sense “courage” appeared in the early 19th century, and “impudence” in the late 19th century.

Recorded since circa 1374 as Middle English nerve, from Medieval Latin nervus (“nerve”), from Latin nervus (“sinew”). Doublet of neuron and sinew. Verb sense 4 (“to get on (someone’s) nerves”) is chiefly a semantic loan from German nerven.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary