In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
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
3 April 2025
WHOLE
(noun) an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity; “how big is that part compared to the whole?”; “the team is a unit”
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