nerve

noun (WORRY)

/nɜːv/

/nɝːv/

Definition

nerves [plural] B2 worry or anxiety about something that is going to happen: I never suffer from nerves when I'm speaking in public. She was a bundle of nerves (= very nervous) before the audition. I always have a cigarette to calm/steady my nerves (= make me less nervous) before I go on stage.Anxiety and worry - general wordsFear and phobias get on sb's nerves B2 to annoy someone a lot: We really got on each other's nerves when we were living together. Please stop making that noise! It really gets on my nerves.Causing feelings of anger and displeasure steady/strong nerves B2 the ability to be calm in difficult situations: You need a cool head and steady nerves for this job.

(Definition of nerve noun (WORRY) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)