word-vault

{ "term": "nerve", "partOfSpeech": "noun", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "b2", "image": "data/images/bo/body_eye.png", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "any of the long fibres that carry messages between the brain and parts of the body, enabling you to move, feel pain, etc.", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "the optic nerve" }, { "text": "He's off work with a trapped nerve in his neck." }, { "text": "Every nerve in her body was tense." }, { "text": "The illness kills nerve cells and causes chronic fatigue." }, { "text": "Pain occurs when the nerve fibres are damaged." }, { "text": "Signals are transmitted from the nerve endings to the brain." }, { "text": "The disease can also cause nerve damage." }, { "text": "Cutting the nerves to the stomach does not affect hunger." }, { "text": "He damaged a nerve in his spine." }, { "text": "I've trapped a nerve in my spine." }, { "text": "Intense pain shot through every nerve in his body." }, { "text": "The message travels along the nerve to the brain." }, { "text": "The nerve runs from the eye to the brain." }, { "text": "The nerves transmit pain." }, { "text": "The vagus nerve controls heart rate and breathing." } ], "topics": ["Body", "Biology"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["pinched", "trapped", "sensitive"], "verb + nerve": ["damage", "pinch", "strain"], "nerve + verb": ["go", "lead", "run"], "nerve + noun": ["bundle", "cell", "ending"], "preposition": ["along a/the nerve", "nerve in", "nerve to"], "phrases": [ "every nerve in somebody’s body", "hit a nerve", "strike a (raw) nerve" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "feelings of worry or stress", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Even after years as a singer, he still suffers from nerves before a performance." }, { "text": "I need something to **calm my nerves**." }, { "text": "to settle/soothe/steady your nerves" }, { "text": "Everyone's **nerves were on edge** *(= everyone felt )." }, { "text": "He **lives on his nerves** *(= is always worried)*." }, { "text": "By the end of the meal her nerves were completely frayed." }, { "text": "She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves." }, { "text": "Have some herbal tea to settle your nerves." }, { "text": "At the end of a day's teaching, her nerves were absolutely shattered." }, { "text": "Caring for him while he was so ill has been a great strain on her nerves." }, { "text": "He uncharacteristically allowed nerves to get the better of him in yesterday's game." }, { "text": "Her nerves were shot from all the things happening around her." }, { "text": "Her nerves were stretched to breaking point." }, { "text": "His nerves jangled every time his phone rang." }, { "text": "I had an attack of nerves just before I went on stage." }, { "text": "I'm not sure my nerves can stand another night like this." }, { "text": "I've never suffered from first-night nerves." }, { "text": "It gave me time to calm my jittery nerves before meeting her." }, { "text": "He lay awake, his nerves throbbing." } ], "topics": ["Feelings"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["exam", "first-night", "jittery"], "verb + nerves": ["calm", "control", "ease"], "phrases": [ "an attack of nerves", "a bag of nerves", "a bundle of nerves" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "the courage to do something difficult or dangerous", "cefr": "c2", "examples": [ { "text": "It took a lot of nerve to take the company to court." }, { "text": "I was going to have a go at parachuting but **lost my nerve** at the last minute." }, { "text": "He **held his nerve **to win the final set 6–4." }, { "text": "Investors largely **kept their nerve** and stayed with the company." }, { "text": "It was an amazing journey which tested her nerves to the full." }, { "text": "You must find the nerve to ask for more money." }, { "text": "Steeling my nerve, I jumped the first bar." }, { "text": "Singing in front of so many people was a real test of nerve." }, { "text": "At the last minute she almost lost her nerve." }, { "text": "He kept his nerve to win a thrilling game." }, { "text": "I didn't have the nerve to ask." }, { "text": "It took a lot of nerve to stand up and speak." }, { "text": "Skydiving is all right for people who've got the nerves for it." } ], "synonyms": "guts", "topics": ["Personal qualities"], "collocations": { "verb + nerve": ["have", "lack", "lose"], "nerve + verb": ["break", "fail (somebody)"], "phrases": ["a failure of nerve", "a loss of nerve", "a test of nerve"] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "a way of behaving that other people think is rude or not appropriate", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I don't know how you **have the nerve** to show your face after what you said!" }, { "text": "He's **got a nerve** asking us for money!" }, { "text": "‘Then she demanded to see the manager!’ ‘**What a nerve!**’" }, { "text": "He **had some nerve **to insult Mina's cooking." } ], "synonyms": "cheek" }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be very nervous", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "By the time of the interview, I was a bundle of nerves." } ], "topics": ["Feelings"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to annoy somebody", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "That music is starting to get on my nerves." }, { "text": "It really gets on my nerves when people talk loudly on the phone in public." }, { "text": "His endless whining really gets on my nerves." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be able to remain calm in a difficult or dangerous situation", "examples": [ { "text": "You need nerves of steel to be a good poker player." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to mention a subject that makes somebody feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc.", "examples": [ { "text": "You touched a raw nerve when you mentioned his first wife." }, { "text": "My remarks about divorce had unwittingly touched a raw nerve." }, { "text": "The article struck a raw nerve as it revived unpleasant memories." } ], "topics": ["Feelings"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to try as hard as you can to do something", "examples": [ { "text": "He strained every nerve to snatch victory from defeat." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to have a strong effect", "examples": [ { "text": "His work strikes a nerve with people who are attracted to nostalgia." }, { "text": "It seems I struck a nerve with my last post about cell phones." }, { "text": "Nissan may well strike a popular nerve here." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "an attempt to defeat your opponents by putting pressure on them so that they lose courage or confidence", "examples": [ { "text": "The union has been fighting a war of nerves with the management over pay." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/nɜːv/", "audio": "ne/nerve/nerve__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/nɜːrv/", "audio": "ne/nerve/nerve__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (also in the sense ‘tendon, sinew’): from Latin nervus; related to Greek neuron ‘nerve’ (see neuron)." }