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Meaning of nervous | Babel Free

Adjective masculine CEFR A2 Frequent
ˈnɜːvəs

Definitions

  1. nerve
  2. Of sinews and tendons.
    obsolete
  3. Full of sinews.
    obsolete
  4. nervous, on edge
  5. Having strong or prominent sinews; sinewy, muscular.
    obsolete
  6. furious, annoyed, irritated
  7. Of a piece of writing, literary style etc.: forceful, powerful.
    obsolete
  8. Of nerves.
  9. Supplied with nerves; innervated.
  10. Affecting or involving the nerves or nervous system.
  11. Nervose.
    obsolete
  12. Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge.
  13. Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried.

Equivalents

Deutsch nervös
Español nervioso
Français Nerveux
Italiano nervoso
日本語 そわそわ
Nederlands gespannen nerveus

Examples

“[T]here is nothing in marble equal to the Venus of Medici, for ſoftneſs and tenderneſs; as there is nothing ſo ſtrong and nervous, as the Hercules Farneſe.”
“Fortescutus illustratus, or a commentary on that nervous treatise De Laudibus Legum Angliæ […] [book title]”
“Nervous, clear, and striking, was almost all that he uttered […].”
“All Nervous Diſtempers whatſoever, from Yawning and Stretching, up to a mortal Fit of an Apoplexy, ſeems to me to be but one continued Diſorder, or the ſeveral Steps or Degrees of it, ariſing from a Relaxation or Weakneſs, and the want of a ſufficient Force and Elaſticity in the Solids in general, and the Nerves in particular, in Proportion to the Reſiſtance of the Fluids, in order to carry on the Circulation, remove Obſtructions, carry off the Recrements, and make the Secretions.”
“Elizabeth Moſs, a girl of about 15 years of age, was attacked, in December, 1773, with a ſlow nervous fever, during the courſe of which ſhe had very little ſleep; […]”
“However, concern regarding potential morbidity from biopsy of a central nervous system lesion makes it rare to have a pathologic specimen available for clinical diagnosis.”
“CANNACORUS, […] It hath a knobbed tuberoſe Root: The Leaves are long and nervous: […]”
“Being in a crowd of strangers makes me nervous.”
“I can only assure you here that there is such a thing as a nervous child; whose nervous system is unstable; who is easily upset; whose pulse is apt to "run away" at any excitement; who blushes and pales and sweats easily; who tires easily; and who may be subject to headache and eye strain.”
“They were looking at the table (which was spread out in great array); for these young housekeepers are always nervous on such points, and like to see that everything is right.”
“Various harbours fit to receive settlers are now enumerated by the author; and as for the cold, of which some, through report, entertained a nervous dread, he invites his readers to reflect on "the great colde that is at times in Muſcouia, Sweidon, Norway, Spruceland, Poland, Denmarke, and other Eaſterne and Northerne parts of the world, where the people liue well and grow rich;" […]”
“"My baby is a perfect bundle of nerves," said one mother to another. "She is so sensitive, she starts at the slightest sound. She sleeps only a few minutes at a time, and has to be walked or rocked to get her off again. She won't go to strangers, and I am a nervous wreck taking care of her."”

CEFR level

A2
Elementary
This word is part of the CEFR A2 vocabulary — elementary level.
See all A2 English words →

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