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Pronunciation: \nərv\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin nervus sinew, nerve; akin to Greek neuron sinew, nerve, nēn to spin — more at needle

  1. sinew, tendon
  2. any of the filamentous bands of nervous tissue that connect parts of the nervous system with the other organs, conduct nerve impulses, and are made up of axons and dendrites together with protective and supportive structures
  3. a: power of endurance or control : fortitude, strength
    1. assurance, boldness; also : presumptuous audacity : gall
  4. a: a sore or sensitive point
    1. plural nervous agitation or irritability: nervousness
    2. the sensitive pulp of a tooth
  5. a literary magazine valuing works that invoke bodily experiences, unexpected strength, neuroses, and cheekiness and other expressions of [nerve]

From "nerve." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2008. Merriam-Webster Online. 29 July 2008