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How and when to use 'Nerve' idioms

Average: 4.1 (10 votes)
Fri, 05/07/2010 - 07:31 — Chris McCarthy

nerves (noun) are a group of long thin fibres that carry information or instructions between the brain and other parts of the body. A nerve is like an electric cable that passes electric current. When your hand touches a something hot, the hand sends the feeling to the brain through nerves.

You don't have to be a doctor to use the word nerve because it is used in a few natural English expressions you should know.

nerves

The word nerves can be used to describe worry, nervousness or anxiety about something that is going to happen:
"I always suffer from nerves when I have to make a speech in front of lots of people."
"Have a drink of whiskey to calm your nerves before you make your speech."

to be a bundle of nerves / a bag of nerves

This idiom is used to show you are nervous about something:
"I was a bundle of nerves before my big job interview."
"I'm a bag of nerves today - I don't know what's wrong with me!"

to get on somebody's nerves

When we annoy somebody a lot we get on their nerves.
"We really started to get on each others nerves when we lived in that small apartment together."
"Can you hear that banging sound? It's really getting on my nerves!"

to have nerves of steel

To be very brave. When you have nerves of steel your are fearless and have courage:
"I think all firefighters have nerves of steel."
"You need nerves of steel to be an Formula 1 racing driver."

to hit / touch a (raw) nerve

To make someone unhappy or upset by saying something to the person doesn't like.
"I think I hit a nerve when I mentioned she was getting fat. I wish I'd hadn't said anything."
"She looked really upset when you talked about her 40th birthday. You really touched a nerve when you discussed her age."

to lose your nerve

When you lose your nerve you become too scared to do something.
"I was going to try bungee jumping but I lost my nerve a didn't do it."
"Don't lose your nerve now - you promised to come on the roller-coaster with me."

to have lot of nerve

When someone has a lot of nerve they show great rudeness; a lot of audacity or brashness. The expression "What a nerve!" is also used.
"You took my seat! You have a lot of nerve sitting there!"
"Did you hear what he said to her. What a nerve! I'm not surprised that she hit him!"

Now use your amazing brains to complete these expressions.

Link: 10 idioms to describe feeling good and bad

Three-part phrasal verbs

Link: 10 Food idioms

  • 1 - Did you go skydiving or did you ___ your nerve?




  • 2 - The player must have ___ nerves of steel to take that last minute penalty in the final.




  • 3 - Be careful what you say to him. Try not to ___ a nerve.




  • 4 - I was a ___ of nerves on my wedding day. I wanted everthing to be perfect.




  • 5 - That ringing telephone is ___ on my nerves.








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Comments

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 09:15 — ynastia

nerves

Brilliant lesson!!! I liked the explanations and examples above.
I made no mistakes.

For brushing-up purpose:
1) Some people frequently suffer from nerves being anxious and disturbing, thereby they unintentionally get on others nerves.
2) He definitely has nerves of steel, he has been doing sky-diving for three year.
3) Don't lose your nerves and chicken out, we've decided to do rafting together and I don't want to hear a word of doubt from you.
4) She has always been a bundle of nerves, she has a short fuse, I don't know how to deal with her.
5) What a nerve! I can't stand such an insolence in my own house. Please, leave me alone!

Thank you for this highly interesting topic, Chris.

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 10:04 — Chris McCarthy

You must have nerves of steel!

Yet again, you've come up with some great example sentences and it's practically perfect! The only suggestion I can make (to prove I've read it Wink ) is, the collocation is "go rafting" rather than "do rating".

Who else has enough "nerves of steel" to write example sentences???

Thanks,

Chris

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 10:32 — ynastia

Re:nerves

It's my "Achilles heel" Smile, I often mix up "to go" and "to do" with activities, I don't have a clear understanding of it Sad. Thank you, Chris.

Wed, 05/12/2010 - 14:51 — Yura

Yes, Chris, you are quite

Yes, Chris, you are quite right, that we should have enough nerves of steel to write example sentences.
Nowadays some people are a bag of nerves and some people have lot of nerve.
Don't touch my nerve when you are speaking about my knowledge of English. Wink
Thank you for the excellent Lesson! Smile

Tue, 05/25/2010 - 09:40 — cutelittlebirds

how

how can be it's possible that have and had next to other- The player must have ___ nerves of steel to take that last minute penalty in the final.

correct answer for this is HAD
sandhy

Mon, 06/21/2010 - 11:24 — Esther Shilpa

Thanks Chris, this lesson

Thanks Chris, this lesson was totally different for me, so far I only knew one meanining for "getting on my nervous" .
thanks for the lesson, i got lots of insight on this topic. Big Grin

Sun, 07/24/2011 - 14:37 — Manish2811

NERVES

 Awesome information 

Thanx for the lesson :)