nerve

Meaning

Noun

1. A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
2. (colloquial, nonstandard) A neuron.
3. A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood.
4. Courage; boldness; audacity; gall.
5. Patience; stamina; endurance, fortitude.
6. (in-plural) One's neural structures considered collectively as, and conceptually equated with, one's psyche.
7. (in-plural) Mental agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotions.
8. The elastic resistance of raw rubber or other polymers to permanent deformation during processing.
9. (obsolete) Sinew, tendon.

Verb

1. (transitive) To give courage.
2. (transitive) To give strength; to supply energy or vigour.
3. (informal, transitive) To perform a neurectomy on (someone or something).
4. (informal, rare, transitive) To get on (someone’s) nerves; to annoy, irritate, or bother (someone).
5. (informal, intransitive, rare) To be nervous.

Synonyms

vein

courage

tendon

pluck

sinew

guts

gall

audacity

nervus

boldness

mettle

cheek

steel

artery

spunk

grit

valor

bravery

spirit

heart

❤️

brazenness

effrontery

mettled

face

nervous

root

valour

brass

impudence

strength

sensitivity

arrogance

recklessness

sangfroid

shamelessness

stimulate

string

🪢

temerity

tube

vigour

whip

hutzpah

make nervous

stick to it

vena

nerve vessel

small tube

steel oneself against

mental sence

leaf vein

Translations

nerf

Nerv

nervo

nervio

zenuw

nervo

νεύρο

nervi

Mut

nervus

nervure

coraggio

courage

durf

Pronounced as (IPA)

/nɝv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: nerve

In summary

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 is chiefly a semantic loan from German nerven.