1
- (in the body) a whitish fibre or bundle of fibres that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and impulses from these to the muscles and organs神经：
the optic nerve.
视觉神经。
2
nerves
a person's mental state, in particular the extent to which they are agitated or worried神经质, 神经紧张; 情绪不安, 提心吊胆：an amazing journey which tested her nerves to the full.
使她的神经接受最大考验的一次令人惊异的旅程。
2.1
- nervousness or anxiety紧张; 焦虑：
his first-night nerves soon disappeared.
他第一天晚上的焦虑很快就消失了。
3
- mass noun（一般作one's nerve）a person's steadiness, courage, and sense of purpose when facing a demanding situation精神力量, 勇气, 魄力; 胆量; 胆力：
she kept her nerve and won five games in a row
她一鼓作气, 连续赢得五场比赛
the army's commanders were beginning to lose their nerve.
军队的指挥官开始胆怯了。
3.1
- informal impudence or audacity〈非正式〉厚脸皮; 大胆：
he had the nerve to insult my cooking
他还有脸对我的烹饪说三道四
she's got a nerve wearing that short skirt with those legs.
她那种腿型竟然有胆子穿上了那件短裙。
4
- Botany a prominent unbranched rib in a leaf, especially in the midrib of the leaf of a moss【植】（叶）脉。
verb
nerve oneself
- brace oneself mentally to face a demanding situation使有劲, 使振作, 使奋进：
she nerved herself to enter the room
她鼓起勇气走进了房间
he nerved himself for a final effort.
他给自己打气作最后的努力。
短语
a bag（或bundle）of nerves
- informal someone who is extremely timid or tense〈非正式〉极端胆小的人; 神经极度紧张的人。
get on someone's nerves
- informal irritate or annoy someone〈非正式〉使某人紧张不安; 让某人心烦。
have nerves of steel
- not be easily upset or frightened沉着; 有胆量。
live on one's nerves（或one's nerve ends）
- be extremely anxious or tense过紧张不安的日子。
strain every nerve
- make every possible effort竭尽全力, 拼命。
- ORIGIN: from the earlier sense of nerve as 'tendon, sinew'.
touch（或hit）a nerve（或a raw nerve）
- provoke a reaction by referring to a sensitive topic触及要害; 触到痛处。
war of nerves
- a struggle in which opponents try to wear each other down by psychological means神经战。
派生词
nerved
adjective想起过去的经历依然让她焦虑不已。
词源
late Middle English （also in the sense 'tendon, sinew'）： from Latin nervus: related to Greek neuron 'nerve' （see NEURON）.