[W/K] :: nerve

  nerve \nerve\ (n[~e]rv), n. [OE. nerfe, F. nerf, L. nervus, akin
     to Gr. ney^ron sinew, nerve; cf. neyra` string, bowstring;
     perh. akin to E. needle. Cf. Neuralgia.]
     1. (Anat.) One of the whitish and elastic bundles of fibers,
        with the accompanying tissues, which transmit nervous
        impulses between nerve centers and various parts of the
        animal body.
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     Note: An ordinary nerve is made up of several bundles of
           nerve fibers, each bundle inclosed in a special sheath
           (the perineurium) and all bound together in a
           connective tissue sheath and framework (the epineurium)
           containing blood vessels and lymphatics.
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     2. A sinew or a tendon. --Pope.
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     3. Physical force or steadiness; muscular power and control;
        constitutional vigor.
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              he led me on to mightiest deeds,
              Above the nerve of mortal arm.        --Milton.
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     4. Steadiness and firmness of mind; self-command in personal
        danger, or under suffering; unshaken courage and
        endurance; coolness; pluck; resolution.
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     5. Audacity; assurance. [Slang]
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     6. (Bot.) One of the principal fibrovascular bundles or ribs
        of a leaf, especially when these extend straight from the
        base or the midrib of the leaf.
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     7. (Zool.) One of the nervures, or veins, in the wings of
        insects.
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     Nerve cell (Anat.), a neuron, one of the nucleated cells
        with which nerve fibers are connected; a ganglion cell
        is one type of nerve cell.
  
     Nerve fiber (Anat.), one of the fibers of which nerves are
        made up. These fibers are either medullated or
        nonmedullated. In both kinds the essential part is the
        translucent threadlike axis cylinder which is continuous
        the whole length of the fiber.
  
     Nerve stretching (Med.), the operation of stretching a
        nerve in order to remedy diseases such as tetanus, which
        are supposed to be influenced by the condition of the
        nerve or its connections.
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  Nerve \Nerve\ (n[~e]rv), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nerved
     (n[~e]rvs); p. pr. & vb. n. Nerving.]
     To give strength or vigor to; to supply with force; as, fear
     nerved his arm.
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  nerve
       n 1: any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and
            tissues of the body [syn: nervus]
       2: the courage to carry on; "he kept fighting on pure spunk";
          "you haven't got the heart for baseball" [syn: heart, mettle,
           spunk]
       3: impudent aggressiveness; "I couldn't believe her boldness";
          "he had the effrontery to question my honesty" [syn: boldness,
           brass, face, cheek]
       v : get ready for something difficult or unpleasant [syn: steel]

  174 Moby Thesaurus words for "nerve":
     afferent neuron, animate, annoy, anxiety, aplomb, apprehension,
     assurance, assure, audacity, autonomic nervous system, axon,
     backbone, balance, balanced personality, balls, beef up, boldness,
     bolster, bottle, bottom, brace, brace up, brain, brashness, brass,
     bravery, brazenness, buck up, buttress, case harden,
     central nervous system, cerebral cortex, cheek, cheer, chirk up,
     chutzpah, confidence, confirm, constancy, cool, coolness, courage,
     craniosacral nervous system, crust, daring, dauntlessness,
     dendrite, determination, doughtiness, effector organ,
     efferent neuron, effrontery, embolden, encourage, equilibrium,
     face, fastness, fearlessness, firmness, fortify, fortitude,
     forwardness, fretfulness, fright, gall, ganglion, gird,
     gray matter, grit, gumption, guts, gutsiness, guttiness, harden,
     hardihood, hardiness, heart, heart of oak, hearten, homeostasis,
     hysteria, impertinence, imperturbability, importunacy,
     importunateness, impudence, insolence, inspire, inspirit,
     internuncial neuron, intestinal fortitude, intrepidity,
     invariability, invigorate, irritate, medullary sheath, mettle,
     moxie, nerve trunk, nerves, nervous system, nervousness, neuron,
     peripheral nervous system, pith, plexus, pluck, presumption,
     presumptuousness, prop, pushiness, reassure, refresh, reinforce,
     reinvigorate, reliability, resoluteness, restrengthen, rootedness,
     sand, sang-froid, sauce, secureness, security, self-assertion,
     self-assertiveness, self-expression, self-expressiveness,
     sensorium, sensory area, sensory cell, shore up, solar plexus,
     solidity, soundness, spinal cord, spirit, spunk, stability,
     stable equilibrium, stable state, stamina, staunchness,
     steadfastness, steadiness, steady nerves, steady state, steel,
     stiffen, stout heart, strengthen, stress, substantiality, support,
     sustain, synapse, temerity, temper, tenacity, tension,
     the heebie-jeebies, thoracolumbar nervous system, toughen,
     toughness, undeflectability, undergird, uniformity,
     unshakable nerves, unshakableness, upset, valor, white matter,
     will, worry