NERVE
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)
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"):
radicle ((anatomy) a small structure resembling a rootlet (such as a fibril of a nerve))
nerve fiber; nerve fibre (a threadlike extension of a nerve cell)
synapse (the junction between two neurons (axon-to-dendrite) or between a neuron and a muscle)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nerve"):
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 saphenus; saphenous nerve (a branch of the femoral nerve that supplies cutaneous branches to the inner aspect of the leg and foot)
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)
splanchnic nerve (any of several nerves of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system that innervate viscera and blood vessels)
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)
depressor; depressor nerve (any nerve whose activity tends to reduce the activity or tone of the body part it serves)
cranial nerve (any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem)
afferent; afferent nerve; sensory nerve (a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system)
efferent; efferent nerve; motor nerve (a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands)
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))
Meaning:
The courage to carry on
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
mettle; nerve; spunk; heart
Context examples:
he kept fighting on pure spunk / 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)
Meaning:
Impudent aggressiveness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
boldness; nerve; brass; cheek; face
Context examples:
I couldn't believe her boldness / 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)
• NERVE (verb)
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
