NERVOUS

skittish, flighty, spooky, nervous

(adjective) unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)

aflutter, nervous

(adjective) excited in anticipation

nervous

(adjective) easily agitated; “a nervous addict”; “a nervous thoroughbred”

anxious, nervous, queasy, uneasy, unquiet

(adjective) causing or fraught with or showing anxiety; “spent an anxious night waiting for the test results”; “cast anxious glances behind her”; “those nervous moments before takeoff”; “an unquiet mind”

nervous, neural

(adjective) of or relating to the nervous system; “nervous disease”; “neural disorder”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

nervous (comparative more nervous, superlative most nervous)

Of sinews and tendons.

(obsolete) Full of sinews. [14th–18th c.]

(obsolete) Having strong or prominent sinews; sinewy, muscular. [15th–19th c.]

(obsolete) Of a piece of writing, literary style etc.: forceful, powerful. [17th–19th c.]

Of nerves.

Supplied with nerves; innervated. [from 14th c.]

Affecting the nerves or nervous system. [from 15th c.]

(botany, obsolete) Nervose. [17th–18th c.]

Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge. [from 18th c.]

Synonyms: excitable, high-strung, hypersensitive, Thesaurus:nervous

Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried. [from 18th c.]

Synonym: Thesaurus:nervous

Antonyms: calm, relaxed

Notes

Source: Wiktionary


Nerv"ous, a. Etym: [L. nervosus sinewy, vigorous: cf. F. nerveux. See Nerve.]

1. possessing nerve; sinewy; strong; vigorous. "Nervous arms." Pope.

2. Possessing or manifesting vigor of mind; characterized by strength in sentiment or style; forcible; spirited; as, a nervous writer.

3. Of or pertaining to the nerves; seated in the nerves; as, nervous excitement; a nervous fever.

4. Having the nerves weak, diseased, or easily excited; subject to, or suffering from, undue excitement of the nerves; easily agitated or annoyed. Poor, weak, nervous creatures. Cheyne.

5. Sensitive; excitable; timid. Our aristocratic class does not firmly protest against the unfair treatment of Irish Catholics, because it is nervous about the land. M. Arnold. Nervous fever (Med.), a low form of fever characterized by great disturbance of the nervous system, as evinced by delirium, or stupor, disordered sensibility, etc.

– Nervous system (Anat.), the specialized coördinating apparatus which endows animals with sensation and volition. In vertebrates it is often divided into three systems: the central, brain and spinal cord; the peripheral, cranial and spinal nerves; and the sympathetic. See Brain, Nerve, Spinal cord, under Spinal, and Sympathetic system, under Sympathetic, and Illust. in Appendix.

– Nervous temperament, a condition of body characterized by a general predominance of mental manifestations. Mayne.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 December 2024

SUNGLASSES

(noun) (plural) spectacles that are darkened or polarized to protect the eyes from the glare of the sun; “he was wearing a pair of mirrored shades”


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