Definition of "nerve" in Anglais

noun

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

   • The nerves can be seen through the skin.

2. (nonstandard, colloquial) A neuron.

3. (botany) A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood.

   • Some plants have ornamental value because of their contrasting nerves.

4. Courage; boldness; audacity; gall.

   • He had the nerve to enter my house uninvited.
   • He hasn't the nerve to tell her he likes her.

5. Patience; stamina; endurance, fortitude.

   • The web-team found git-sed is really a time and nerve saver when doing mass changes on your repositories

6. (in the plural) One's neural structures considered collectively as, and conceptually equated with, one's psyche.

   • All these rationalizations for asinine behavior are getting on my nerves.
   • His nerves could no longer handle the worry.

7. (in the plural) Mental agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotions.

   • Ellie had a bad case of nerves before the big test; she was a bundle of nerves.

8. (polymer technology) The elastic resistance of raw rubber or other polymers to permanent deformation during processing.

   • The nerviness (ability to recover quickly from strain or stretching) ... generally requires it to be broken down or masticated on the mill before the other compounding ingredients are added. In the break-down operation, heat is inherently generated by the sheer action of the milling or mixing equipment on the polymer. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain the desired low temperatures during the milling or mixing... An object of this invention is to reduce the inherent nerve of ... polymers ... during break-down.

9. (obsolete) Sinew, tendon.

verb

1. (transitive) To give courage.

   • May their example nerve us to face the enemy.

2. (transitive) To give strength; to supply energy or vigour.

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

3. (transitive, informal) To perform a neurectomy on (someone or something).

4. (transitive, informal, rare) To get on (someone’s) nerves; to annoy, irritate, or bother (someone).

5. (intransitive, informal, rare) To be nervous.