NERVOUS

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nervous mean? 

• NERVOUS (adjective)
  The adjective NERVOUS has 5 senses:

1. easily agitated

2. causing or fraught with or showing anxiety

3. of or relating to the nervous system

4. excited in anticipation

5. unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)

  Familiarity information: NERVOUS used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NERVOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Easily agitated

Context example:

a nervous thoroughbred

Similar:

tense (in or of a state of physical or nervous tension)

Derivation:

nervousness (a sensitive or highly strung temperament)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing or fraught with or showing anxiety

Synonyms:

anxious; nervous; queasy; uneasy; unquiet

Context example:

an unquiet mind

Similar:

troubled (characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need)

Derivation:

nervousness (the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters)

nervousness (an uneasy psychological state)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of or relating to the nervous system

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

nervous; neural

Context example:

neural disorder

Pertainym:

nervous system (the sensory and control apparatus consisting of a network of nerve cells)

Derivation:

nerve (any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Excited in anticipation

Synonyms:

aflutter; nervous

Similar:

excited (in an aroused state)

Derivation:

nervousness (the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)

Synonyms:

flighty; nervous; skittish; spooky

Similar:

excitable (easily excited)

Derivation:

nervousness (a sensitive or highly strung temperament)

 Context examples 

I am always anxious about Jonathan, for I fear that some nervous fit may upset him again; so I turned to him quickly, and asked him what it was that disturbed him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A lymphoma (non-Hodgkin or Hodgkin) arising from the central nervous system and occurring in HIV-positive patients.

(AIDS-Related Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma, NCI Thesaurus)

It was with nervous trepidation that we made the first few rods of the journey.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Atrophy of the nervous system tissues and/or muscle tissues that is related to aging.

(Age-Related Atrophy, NCI Thesaurus)

An agent that exerts a physiologic effect on neurotransmission or on any anatomic entity that is part of the nervous system, including the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).

(Agent Affecting Nervous System, NCI Thesaurus)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system.

(Immune System Reset May Halt Multiple Sclerosis Progression, NIH)

Alanine is an important source of energy for muscles and central nervous system, strengthens the immune system, helps in the metabolism of sugars and organic acids, and displays a cholesterol-reducing effect in animals.

(Alanine, NCI Thesaurus)

And I assure you, sir, he said, I am extremely nervous on such occasions.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It grew more nervous and excited every moment.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The spread of the cancer to the nervous system.

(Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm to the Nervous System, NCI Thesaurus)