NERVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does nerve mean? 

• NERVE (noun)
  The noun NERVE has 3 senses:

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

2. the courage to carry on

3. impudent aggressiveness

  Familiarity information: NERVE used as a noun is uncommon.

• NERVE (verb)
  The verb NERVE has 1 sense:

1. get ready for something difficult or unpleasant

  Familiarity information: NERVE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NERVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

nerve; nervus

Hypernyms ("nerve" is a kind of...):

fascicle; fasciculus; fiber bundle; fibre bundle (a bundle of fibers (especially nerve fibers))

Meronyms (parts of "nerve"):

synapse (the junction between two neurons (axon-to-dendrite) or between a neuron and a muscle)

nerve fiber; nerve fibre (a threadlike extension of a nerve cell)

radicle ((anatomy) a small structure resembling a rootlet (such as a fibril of a nerve))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nerve"):

efferent; efferent nerve; motor nerve (a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands)

afferent; afferent nerve; sensory nerve (a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system)

cranial nerve (any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem)

depressor; depressor nerve (any nerve whose activity tends to reduce the activity or tone of the body part it serves)

musculospiral nerve; nervus radialis; radial nerve (largest branch of the brachial plexus; extends down the humerus to the lateral epicondyle where it divides into one branch that goes to the skin on the back of the hand and another that goes to the underlying extensor muscles)

splanchnic nerve (any of several nerves of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system that innervate viscera and blood vessels)

nervus ischiadicus; sciatic nerve (arises from the sacral plexus and passes about halfway down the thigh where it divides into the common peroneal and tibial nerves)

nervus saphenus; saphenous nerve (a branch of the femoral nerve that supplies cutaneous branches to the inner aspect of the leg and foot)

cubital nerve; nervus ulnaris; ulnar nerve (a nerve running along the inner side of the arm and passing near the elbow; supplies intrinsic muscles of the hand and the skin of the medial side of the hand)

nervus spinalis; spinal nerve (any of the 31 pairs of nerves emerging from each side of the spinal cord (each attached to the cord by two roots: ventral and dorsal))

Derivation:

nervous (of or relating to the nervous system)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The courage to carry on

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

heart; mettle; nerve; spunk

Context example:

you haven't got the heart for baseball

Hypernyms ("nerve" is a kind of...):

braveness; bravery; courage; courageousness (a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear)

Derivation:

nerve (get ready for something difficult or unpleasant)

nervy (showing or requiring courage and contempt of danger)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Impudent aggressiveness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

boldness; brass; cheek; face; nerve

Context example:

he had the effrontery to question my honesty

Hypernyms ("nerve" is a kind of...):

aggressiveness (the quality of being bold and enterprising)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nerve"):

audaciousness; audacity (aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery)

Derivation:

nervy (offensively bold)

• NERVE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they nerve    ... he / she / it nerves   
Past simple: nerved   
Past participle: nerved   
-ing form: nerving   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get ready for something difficult or unpleasant

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

nerve; steel

Hypernyms (to "nerve" is one way to...):

brace; poise (prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

nerve (the courage to carry on)

 Context examples 

Don't speak to me, for I find my nerves a little shaken!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I could stand it no longer, for my nerves are not what they used to be.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His eyes saw correctly, and the nerves carried the vision correctly to his brain.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

These cells are very close to the nerve endings that receive the sensation of touch and may be involved in touch.

(Merkel cell, NCI Dictionary)

You have no compassion for my poor nerves.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I am beginning to feel this nocturnal existence tell on me. It is destroying my nerve.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This leads to a blockage of nerve impulse conduction and results in a loss of sensation.

(Mepivacaine Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

He had no thoughts save for the nerve- racking, body-destroying toil.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"Did you see it?" I cried, with my arms round the branch and all my nerves tingling.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I must be careful of you, my treasure: nerves like yours were not made for rough handling.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)