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   Nerv·ous

   /ˈnərvəs/

   

   adjective

   • 1. easily agitated or alarmed; tending to be anxious; highly strung: "a sensitive, nervous person" Similar highly strungeasily frightenedeasily agitatedanxiousedgytenseexcitablejumpyskittishbrittleneurotichystericaltimidtimorousmousyshyfearfulfrightenedfrightened of one's own shadowapprehensivescarednervyinformal:trepidatiousOpposite calmrelaxedeasygoing
   • ▪ anxious or apprehensive: "staying in the house on her own made her nervous" Similar anxiousworriedapprehensiveon edgeedgytensestrainedstressedagitatedin a state of nervesin a state of agitationuneasyrestlessworked upkeyed upoverwroughtwrought upstrung outjumpyon tenterhookswith one's stomach in knotsfidgetyfearfulfrightenedscaredwith one's heart in one's mouthlike a cat on a hot tin roofquakingtremblingshakingshaking in one's shoesshakyon pins and needlesin a cold sweatfeveredfebrileinformal:with butterflies in one's stomachjitterytwitchyin a stateuptightwiredin a stewall of a ditherall of a doodahin a sweatin a flapin a tizz/tizzyall of a latherhet upin a twitterstrung upstressywindyhaving kittenslike a cat on hot bricksspookysquirrellyin a twittoeyvulgar slang:shitting bricksbricking oneselfdated:overstrungOpposite coolcalmrelaxedlaid-back
   • ▪ (of a feeling or reaction) resulting from anxiety or anticipation: "nervous energy"
   • 2. relating to or affecting the nerves: "a nervous disorder" Similar neurologicalneuralneuro-

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘containing nerves’ and ‘relating to the nerves’): from Latin nervosus ‘sinewy, vigorous’, from nervus ‘sinew’ (see nerve). nervous (sense 1) dates from the mid 18th century.

   Scrabble Points: 10

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