Definitions for nerve
nɜrvnerve

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. nerve, nervusnoun

   any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body

2. heart, mettle, nerve, spunknoun

   the courage to carry on

   "he kept fighting on pure spunk"; "you haven't got the heart for baseball"

3. boldness, nerve, brass, face, cheekverb

   impudent aggressiveness

   "I couldn't believe her boldness"; "he had the effrontery to question my honesty"

4. steel, nerveverb

   get ready for something difficult or unpleasant

Wiktionary(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. nervenoun

   A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.

   The nerves can be seen through the skin.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

2. nervenoun

   A neuron.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

3. nervenoun

   A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood

   Some plants have ornamental value because of their contrasting nerves

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

4. nervenoun

   Courage, boldness.

   He hasn't the nerve to tell her he likes her, what a wimp!

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

5. nervenoun

   Patience.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

6. nervenoun

   Stamina, endurance, fortitude.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

7. nervenoun

   Audacity, gall.

   He had the nerve to enter my house uninvited.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

8. nervenoun

   Agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotion.

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

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

9. nerveverb

   To give courage; sometimes with "up".

   May their example nerve us to face the enemy.

   Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

10. nerveverb

    To give strength

    The liquor nerved up several of the men after their icy march.

    Etymology: Recorded since circa 1374, from nervus, from nervus.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nervenoun

   one of the whitish and elastic bundles of fibers, with the accompanying tissues, which transmit nervous impulses between nerve centers and various parts of the animal body

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

2. Nervenoun

   a sinew or a tendon

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

3. Nervenoun

   physical force or steadiness; muscular power and control; constitutional vigor

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

4. Nervenoun

   steadiness and firmness of mind; self-command in personal danger, or under suffering; unshaken courage and endurance; coolness; pluck; resolution

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

5. Nervenoun

   audacity; assurance

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

6. Nervenoun

   one of the principal fibrovascular bundles or ribs of a leaf, especially when these extend straight from the base or the midrib of the leaf

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

7. Nervenoun

   one of the nervures, or veins, in the wings of insects

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

8. Nerveverb

   to give strength or vigor to; to supply with force; as, fear nerved his arm

   Etymology: [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring; perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nerve

   A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of axons in the peripheral nervous system. A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons to peripheral organs. In the central nervous system, the analogous structures are known as tracts. Neurons are sometimes called nerve cells, though this term is potentially misleading since many neurons do not form nerves, and nerves also include non-neuronal Schwann cells that coat the axons in myelin. Each nerve is a cordlike structure that contains many axons. These axons are often referred to as "fibres". Within a nerve, each axon is surrounded by a layer of connective tissue called the endoneurium. The axons are bundled together into groups called fascicles, and each fascicle is wrapped in a layer of connective tissue called the perineurium. Finally, the entire nerve is wrapped in a layer of connective tissue called the epineurium.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nerve

   nėrv, n. bodily strength, firmness, courage: (anat.) one of the fibres which convey sensation from all parts of the body to the brain: (bot.) one of the fibres or ribs in the leaves of plants: a trade term for a non-porous quality of cork, slightly charred: (pl.) hysterical nervousness.—v.t. to give strength or vigour to: to arm with force.—adj. Nerv′al.—ns. Nervā′tion, the arrangement or distribution of nerves, esp. those of leaves; Nerve′-cell, any cell forming part of the nervous system, esp. one of those by means of which nerve-fibres are connected with each other; Nerve′-cen′tre, a collection of nerve-cells from which nerves branch out.—adj. Nerved, furnished with nerves, or with nerves of a special character, as 'strong-nerved.'—n. Nerve′-fī′bre, one of the essential thread-like units of which a nerve is composed.—adj. Nerve′less, without strength.—n. Nerve′lessness.—adj. Nerv′ine, acting on the nerves: quieting nervous excitement.—n. a medicine that soothes nervous excitement.—adjs. Nerv′ous, having nerve: sinewy: strong, vigorous, showing strength and vigour: pertaining to the nerves: having the nerves easily excited or weak; Nerv′ous, Nervose′, Nerved (bot.) having parallel fibres or veins.—adv. Nerv′ously.—n. Nerv′ousness.—adj. Nerv′ūlar.—ns. Nerv′ūle, a small nerve, a small vein of an insect's wing—also Nervulet, Veinlet, Venule; Nerv′ure, one of the nerves or veins of leaves: one of the horny tubes or divisions which expand the wings of insects: one of the ribs in a groined vault: a projecting moulding.—adj. Nerv′y, strong, vigorous.—Nervous system (anat.), the brain, spinal cord, and nerves collectively: the whole of the nerves and nerve-centres of the body considered as related to each other, and fitted to act together. [Fr.,—L. nervus; Gr. neuron, a sinew.]

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. NERVE

   Breaking the hair-brush on the disobedient scion, then making him pay for a new one. See revised version, "Spare the rod and spoil the hair-brush!"

Entomology(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nerve

   a thread-like structure, composed of delicate filaments whose function it is to transmit sensations or stimuli to or from a ganglion or from or to any part of the body or its appendages.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'nerve' in Nouns Frequency: #1559

Anagrams for nerve »

1. never

How to pronounce nerve?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say nerve in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of nerve in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of nerve in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of nerve in a Sentence

1. Jason Silva:

   Curiosity and wonderment are a big part of the human condition, but often as we ‘grow up’ we tend to lose this connection to the wonder of it all, i often explore big ideas in my series Shots of Awe to wake people up, and I think bringing this sensibility to an actual baby's wonderstruck face struck a nerve... I'm thrilled.

2. Rudyard Kipling:

   If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them 'Hold on'

3. Jake Olson:

   When I was 8 months old, I was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma, when the doctors found my cancer, it was completely taking over my left eye ... the greatest fear is the cancer spreading through the optic nerve to the brain.

4. Martina Navratilova:

   Kerber maybe edges it on movement, but Serena wins everything else : serve, return of serve, pace, variety, experience, you name it, serena loves to turn it up a notch at every level and very few players can hold their nerve.

5. Darius Paduch:

   It’s due to the vagal reflex, in which a nerve signal from your testicles travels up your spinal cord and brain stem and activates the nausea and vomiting centers in your brain.

Popularity rank by frequency of use