nerve
The feeling of being brave enough to do something that is difficult or scary.
The courage or mental strength that allows someone to do something difficult, frightening, or risky.
The way of doing something that is very rude or bold, so that other people feel angry or surprised.
Shocking or disrespectful boldness that ignores good manners or other people’s feelings.
A feeling of worry and fear that makes your body and mind feel tense.
A state of being very anxious, tense, or easily upset, often described in the plural as 'nerves'.
A long, thin part inside your body that carries messages between your brain and the rest of your body.
A long, thin bundle of fibers in the body that carries electrical signals between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body.
A subject or idea that makes someone feel upset, angry, or hurt when you talk about it.
A sensitive emotional point in a person or group that causes a strong reaction when it is mentioned or criticized.
To make yourself or another person feel brave enough to do something hard or unpleasant.
To make yourself or someone else feel brave and ready to face something difficult or unpleasant.
- Base: nerve
- Plural: nerve, nerves
- Base: nerve
- 3rd Person Singular: nerves
- Present Participle: nerving
- Past: nerved
a bundle of nerves
1person who is very nervous
A person who feels extremely nervous and tense.
- Before the exam, I was a bundle of nerves.
- She walked into the interview a bundle of nerves.
- He’s always a bundle of nerves before a big game.
a bundle of nerves
1extremely nervous person
A very nervous person.
- She was a bundle of nerves before the presentation.
- After the near miss, he was a bundle of nerves for hours.
- I’m a bundle of nerves when I have to fly.
- He is a bundle of nerves today.
calm someone's nerves
1make someone less nervous
To make someone feel less worried or tense.
- A short walk helped calm her nerves before the speech.
- He drank a glass of water to calm his nerves.
- Talking to a friend can calm your nerves before an exam.
have the nerve to
1be brave or bold enough
To be brave or bold enough to do something, often something difficult or something that may seem rude or shocking.
- I finally had the nerve to tell her how I felt.
- How did you have the nerve to lie to their faces?
- He didn’t have the nerve to ask for more time.
lose your nerve
1suddenly lose courage
To suddenly feel too afraid to do something that you had planned to do.
- He was going to jump, but he lost his nerve at the last second.
- She almost called him but lost her nerve and hung up.
- Don’t lose your nerve now; you’ve come this far.
of all the nerve
1complaint about someone's nerve
Used to say that someone’s behavior is very rude or shocking.
- Of all the nerve, asking me for a favor after what you did!
- She took my seat and then, of all the nerve, told me to move.
- Of all the nerve, he blamed us for his mistake.
pluck up the nerve
1gather enough courage
To slowly get enough courage to do something that is difficult or scary.
- She finally plucked up the nerve to apply for the job.
- It took me weeks to pluck up the nerve to speak to my neighbor.
- He plucked up the nerve and asked her out.
steady your nerves
1make yourself calmer
To make yourself feel calmer and more in control when you are nervous.
- He took a deep breath to steady his nerves.
- She sipped some water to steady her nerves before the performance.
- I need a moment to steady my nerves.
touch a nerve
1cause a strong emotional reaction
To say or do something that makes someone feel strong emotions because the subject is very sensitive for them.
- His remark about money clearly touched a nerve.
- The film touched a nerve with many viewers who had similar experiences.
- You seem upset; did my comment touch a nerve?
get on someone's nerves
1annoy or irritate someone
To annoy someone again and again so that they feel tense or angry.
- Her constant complaining is getting on my nerves.
- His constant humming is really getting on my nerves.
- He gets on my nerves when he talks during movies.
- The traffic noise got on her nerves after a while.
- Stop tapping your pen; it's getting on everyone's nerves.
nerves of steel
1extreme calm under pressure
Having a very strong ability to stay calm and not afraid in very difficult or dangerous situations.
- A pilot needs nerves of steel to land in such conditions.
- Pilots need nerves of steel to handle emergencies.
- She showed nerves of steel during the crisis.
- You must have nerves of steel to work in an emergency room.
- The negotiator showed nerves of steel during the crisis.
nerves of steel
1stay calm under pressure
To stay calm in scary situations.
- You need nerves of steel to do that job.
- She showed nerves of steel in the final seconds of the match.
- He has nerves of steel when everyone else panics.
- She has nerves of steel.