Word family noun nerve nerves nervousness adjective nervous nerveless nerve-racking nervy unnerving verb nerve unnerve adverb nervously
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnervynerv‧y /ˈnɜːvi $ ˈnɜːr-/ adjective informal 1 NERVOUSFRIGHTENEDnervous and easily frightened She was all tired and nervy.2 American EnglishBRAVE brave and confidentExamples from the Corpus
nervy• His companion was thin and nervy and carried a notebook.• He was nervy and on edge.• The film itself is preceded by an elaborately ironic but nervy disclaimer about it being just a joke.• He understands the manic rhythms of a city that borders on the irrational, yet still embodies a nervy humanity.• Macy brilliantly shows Teach to be a nervy outsider who desperately wants to be part of the game.• Harriet's Aunt Gertrude, a nervy spinster who lived with Uncle Bertie's household, sat as still as possible. 