nerve

1 of 2

noun

ˈnərv 

1

: sinew, tendon

strain every nerve

2

: any of the filamentous bands of nervous tissue that connect parts of the nervous system with the other organs, conduct nerve impulses, and are made up of axons and dendrites together with protective and supportive structures

3

a

: power of endurance or control : fortitude, strength

b

: assurance, boldness

also : presumptuous audacity : gall

4

a

: a sore or sensitive point

her remark touched a nerve

b

nerves plural : nervous agitation or irritability : nervousness

a case of nerves

5

: vein sense 2

6

: the sensitive pulp of a tooth

nerve

2 of 2

verb

nerved; nerving

transitive verb

: to give strength or courage to : supply with physical or moral force

Synonyms

Noun

• audaciousness
• audacity
• brashness
• brass
• brassiness
• brazenness
• cheek
• cheekiness
• chutzpah
• chutzpa
• hutzpah
• hutzpa
• crust
• effrontery
• face
• gall
• nerviness
• pertness
• presumption
• presumptuousness
• sauce
• sauciness
• temerity

Verb

• brace
• forearm
• fortify
• poise
• psych (up)
• ready
• steel
• strengthen

Choose the Right Synonym for nerve

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness.

temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy

has the cheek to call herself a singer

had the gall to demand proof

the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

Examples of nerve in a Sentence

Noun

The optic nerve in the eye allows you to see.

a condition affecting the nerves in her arm

It takes a lot of nerve to start a new career.

He found the nerve to stand up to his boss.

I was going to ask her to the dance, but I lost my nerve.

You have a lot of nerve to talk to me that way.

I can't believe she had the nerve to call me a liar.

Verb

needs to nerve himself for the big game tomorrow

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If a nerve is affected, leg numbness or weakness may also occur.6 Spondylolisthesis Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra slips forward over the one below it, potentially leading to nerve compression. —Sarah Jividen, Health, 20 Dec. 2024

Fuentes's election night video, however, struck a nerve among leftists, who ended up leaking his home address online. —Peter Aitken, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

Its theme really hit a nerve with audiences, created a real cultural conversation and even resulted in more twins (not depicted in the film) getting reunited in real life. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

So, then, what, really, was the fuss? Cheating, even in the abstract, touches a nerve like no other form of transgression, laying bare a fundamental insecurity about relationships which, as celebrities demonstrate, no allotment of money, talent, or good looks can foreclose. —Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin nervus sinew, nerve; akin to Greek neuron sinew, nerve, nēn to spin — more at needle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1750, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing nerve

• abducens nerve
• abducent nerve
• accessory nerve
• auditory nerve
• cranial nerve
• facial nerve
• glossopharyngeal nerve
• hit/strike/touch a nerve
• hypoglossal nerve
• lose one's nerve
• median nerve
• mixed nerve
• nerve agent
• nerve cell
• nerve center
• nerve cord
• nerve ending
• nerve fiber
• nerve gas
• nerve growth factor
• nerve impulse
• nerve net
• nerve-racking
• nerve root
• nerve trunk
• nerve-wracking
• ninth cranial nerve
• oculomotor nerve
• of all the nerve
• olfactory nerve
• optic nerve
• pinched nerve
• sciatic nerve
• spinal nerve
• touch/strike/hit a raw nerve
• trigeminal nerve
• trochlear nerve
• vagus nerve
• vestibulocochlear nerve

Kids Definition

nerve

1 of 2 noun

ˈnərv 

1

: tendon

strain every nerve

2

: one of the stringy bands of nervous tissue connecting the nervous system with other organs and carrying nerve impulses

3

a

: power of endurance or control

a test of mind and nerve

b

: fearless boldness

had the nerve to confront the mysterious stranger

c

: behavior marked by a rude or disrespectful boldness

what nerve of her to say that

4

a

: a sore or sensitive point

that remark hit a nerve

b

plural : a condition of being very nervous : jitters

had a case of the nerves before her performance

5

: a vein in a leaf or in the wing of an insect

6

: the sensitive soft inner part of a tooth

nerved

ˈnərvd

adjective

nerve

2 of 2 verb

nerved; nerving

: to give strength or courage to

Medical Definition

nerve

noun

ˈnərv 

1

: any of the filamentous bands of nervous tissue that connect parts of the nervous system with the other organs, conduct nerve impulses, and are made up of axons and dendrites together with protective and supportive structures and that for the larger nerves have the fibers gathered into funiculi surrounded by a perineurium and the funiculi enclosed in a common epineurium

2

nerves plural : a state or condition of nervous agitation or irritability

3

: the sensitive pulp of a tooth