adjectivenervier, nerviest

• 1British Easily agitated or alarmed; nervous.

  ‘he was nervy and on edge’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The nervous and nervy man couldn't believe that life was treating him so badly.’
  • ‘I have gone from being very pressurised and tense and nervy to being more relaxed and far happier with how things are.’
  • ‘He is a nervy, jumpy sort of a chap, who follows people with his eyes as they move about a room, and he is constantly twitching about, seeking approval and trying to be everyone's mom.’
  • ‘His eyes have a certain amount of little-boy-lost about them and his slightly nervy, jumpy presence also helps him appear a lot younger than his 43 years.’
  • ‘They were nervy sorts, fidgety, who watched your hands as you used the mobile or hunted in your bag for something but would never catch your eye.’
  • ‘Result, everyone is left feeling anxious, nervy and vaguely irritated.’
  • ‘David Toms produced a stunning back nine to edge out a nervy Sergio Garcia in a titanic tussle in the singles.’
  • ‘Our fellows were nervy, edgy, and in the circumstances it may have been just as well that the Iranians strung eleven men behind the ball when Ireland had possession.’
  • ‘‘Red makes adults nervy, edgy, even aggressive,’ said Gimbel.’
  • ‘But then we got a bit nervy and sat back and that's something that we're going to have to address again in training.’
  • ‘We were a bit nervy after our recent results, but John Martin was unbelievable.’
  • ‘United were understandably nervy throughout this crucial match, and they looked to have blown their chances of all three points when David Bingham equalised Jim McIntyre's early counter.’
  • ‘I don't have a television (and have never been a big fan anyway - it makes me nervy and uncomfortable) or net access at home, but I find the radio an excellent companion.’
  • ‘In private, all these guys were quiet, nervy and insecure gay men living in an era when it was marginally safe to out oneself in the safe confines of the entertainment industry, but definitely not outside of that.’
  • ‘It added nervy investors were quick to exact revenge with shares in the company making the warning falling by an average of 24% in the first day.’
  • ‘‘There was no way they were going to beat us,’ an elated Wes Bateman said later when asked if the Irish got a little nervy towards the end.’
  • ‘The effort of getting ready to perform - her projector a substitute for a musical instrument - leaves her too nervy to talk about the process.’
  • ‘But investors in London were nervy from the off after computer games retailer Game issued a profits warning and sent a chill through the sector.’
  • ‘Blue-chip shares were left teetering at the 4000 mark yesterday as nervy investors continued to fret over the global economy.’
  • ‘Blue-chip stocks fell sharply yesterday, as nervy investors caught sight of more gloomy economic data on the US horizon.’

  Synonyms

  nervous, anxious, tense, on edge, edgy, strained, stressed, agitated, apprehensive, in a state of nerves, in a state of agitation, uneasy, restless, worked up, keyed up, overwrought, wrought up, strung out, jumpy, on tenterhooks, with one's stomach in knots, fidgety, fearful, frightened, scared, with one's heart in one's mouth, like a cat on a hot tin roof, quaking, trembling, shaking, shaking in one's shoes, shaky, on pins and needles, in a cold sweat, fevered, febrile

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Characterized or produced by apprehension or uncertainty.
     ‘they made a nervy start’
     More example sentences

     • ‘It's surreal, and with a little more tweaking, it could even have been nervy and discomfiting, but it's too detached from the ‘Ring’ mythology to be effective in this film.’
     • ‘But overall the Footsie has had a nervy week - mainly on the back of poor US sentiment - and the index has fallen a net 126 points.’
     • ‘Six nervy minutes were played with neither club willing to go for the jugular until Harnett made sure two fine Eoin Foley blocks were in vain, adding two quick points to capture the title.’
     • ‘Slight gains on Wall Street, and a smattering of bargain hunters, saw the index nudge ahead 9.2 points to 3490.0 by the close of another nervy day.’
     • ‘It's a nervy undertaking, but that's what local artist and Night of Artists festival organizer Phil Alain did in 1997.’
     • ‘Southend were forced to defend in numbers as the closing minutes ticked away, and while they had to endure some nervy moments, they held on to gain a narrow win.’
     • ‘This is the cutting edge and it is nervy but this is why we are all in the game.’
     • ‘This game has assumed a completely different character now - it's nervy, gritty and tense.’
     • ‘It is going to be a tense, nervy, and, ultimately, unforgettable series.’
     • ‘They may well still get it, but it looks like they will have to endure the usual nervy few weeks, waiting for that big final spending spree, which inevitably comes as late as possible.’
     • ‘After a nervy start, the home side opened the scoring on 12 minutes and Carl McCoy's left wing cross found Glyn Barker unmarked in the box and he made no mistake from 10 yards as he volleyed past Matthew Conkie.’
     • ‘It should have made for a tense and nervy finish but the goal provided the wake-up call as City switched back on the concentration button and defended resolutely thereafter.’
     • ‘Most stand-up comedians have a nervy edge - it's no picnic, after all, standing alone on stage while people stare at you, demanding you make them laugh.’
     • ‘‘It was a very nervy match, which is remarkable this early in the season,’ he said.’
     • ‘We didn't play well, there's no doubt about that, so naturally, when you're not playing well, you don't want a nervy finish.’
     • ‘A nervy opening and some heat-fuelled laxidasical moments in the second-half aside, there was never any real danger of the City leaving bathed in sun Church Road red-faced.’
     • ‘Hampton had to survive a nervy six minutes of added time (presumably for time wasting, substitutions etc) before being able to celebrate an Easter cup final appearance.’
     • ‘After a nervy first minute in which Oxford nearly scored, Cambridge found their rhythm and, holding a solid line upfield, began to punish Oxford's forwards who were too slow to the breakdown.’
     • ‘Makmot increased Merstham's lead shortly after the break, but a late goal by Wallingford's Henry ensured a nervy finish for the visitors, who eventually held on to seal the points.’
     • ‘He carried his bat for 102 from 153 deliveries and provided the backbone of an innings which featured a nervy patch during which three of the upper order were dismissed for ducks.’

• 2North American informal Bold or impudent.

  More example sentences

  • ‘it was kind of nervy for Billy to be telling him how to play’
  • ‘Audiard has done a masterful job of creating a brash, nervy film that is poignant without ever being pretentious.’
  • ‘On Wasp Star, XTC come back to their nervy, new-wavish geek-boy rock, producing a startlingly fresh album for guys that have been doing this for over 20 years.’
  • ‘The United Nations chief is charming and charismatic, but his nervy doctrine for ending wars makes world leaders twitch.’
  • ‘Krugman caught my notice for being one guy with a really nervy suggestion on how Japan could get out of its deflationary spiral.’

  Synonyms

  impertinent, impudent, cheeky, ill-mannered, bad mannered, unmannerly, rude, impolite, uncivil, lacking civility, discourteous, disrespectful, insubordinate, contemptuous, presumptuous

  View synonyms

• 3literary Vigorous or strong.