nervous
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++ner·vous /ˈnɜːvəs $ ˈnɜːr-/ ●●● S3 W3 adjective 1 NERVOUSworried or frightened about something, and unable to relax 神经紧张的；焦虑不安的；害怕的，胆怯的 → anxiousnervous about something She was so nervous about her exams that she couldn’t sleep. 考试让她紧张得睡不着觉。 I wish you’d stop looking at me like that. You’re making me nervous. 我希望你不要再那样看着我了，你让我紧张。feel/get nervous Paul always gets nervous whenever he has to give a presentation. 每次要进行陈述的时候，保罗总是很紧张。nervous smile/laugh/look/glance ‘Don’t be silly, ’ she said with a nervous laugh. ‘There’s no such thing as ghosts.’ “别傻了，” 她紧张地笑了笑，“世上没有鬼这种东西。 By the time I got into the interview I was a nervous wreck (=was extremely nervous). 到了面试的时候，我紧张得要命。nervous of somebody We were all a bit nervous of him at first (=frightened of him). 起初我们都有点怕他。► see thesaurus at worried2 NERVOUSoften becoming worried or frightened, and easily upset 神经脆弱的，神经质的 She’s a nervous, sensitive child. 她是一个胆怯而敏感的孩子。 The film is unsuitable for people of a nervous disposition (=who are easily frightened). 这部影片不适合容易紧张的人观看。3 HBMP[only before noun] relating to the nerves in your body 神经系统的，神经方面的nervous condition/illness/disorder She was suffering from a nervous condition. 她患上了一种神经系统疾病。 He had a nervous twitch (=his body made small uncontrolled movements). 他身体出现神经性抽搐。4. nervous exhaustion/strain MPTIREDa mental condition in which you feel very tired, usually caused by working too hard or by a difficult emotional problem 神经疲劳/神经紧张 —nervously adverb She smiled nervously. 她紧张地笑了笑。 —nervousness noun [uncountable] Mike’s nervousness showed in his voice. 迈克的声音里透着紧张不安。n COLLOCATIONSverbsfeel nervousHe looked at her for so long that she began to feel nervous.get/become nervousEveryone gets nervous before a big game.seem/appear nervousShe seemed nervous at first, but her presentation was good.look/sound nervousHe sounded nervous and uncertain.make somebody nervousBeing alone in the house made her nervous.adverbsslightly nervousLooking slightly nervous, Paul began to speak.a little/a bit nervousI was a little nervous before the interview.extremely nervousThe policeman noticed that the driver seemed extremely nervous.nounsa nervous smile/laugh/giggle‘It doesn’t matter, ’ she said, with a nervous smile.nervous laughterHis comment was met with nervous laughter.a nervous look/glanceLucy swallowed as she sent him a nervous glance.nervous tension (=a feeling of being very tense and nervous)It was the play’s opening night, and Gloria was in a state of nervous tension.phrasesbe a nervous wreck (=be so nervous or worried that you cannot deal with a situation)By the end of the rehearsal I was a nervous wreck. THESAURUSnervous worried or a little frightened about something and unable to relax 紧张焦虑的Kelly was so nervous about her exam that she couldn’t sleep. 考试让凯莉紧张得睡不着觉。It makes me nervous when you drive that fast. 你开那么快，我很紧张。tense worried and unable to relax in a way that makes you get angry or upset easily 紧张易怒的Mary’s problems at work were making her tense and irritable. 工作上遇到的问题让玛丽变得紧张易怒。uneasy nervous because you feel that something bad might happen, so that you are unable to relax until the danger has passed 〔因感觉坏事可能发生而〕紧张不安的I began to feel uneasy when he still hadn’t phoned by 11 o'clock. 他11点还没有打电话来，我开始不安起来。on edge if you are on edge or your nerves are on edge, you feel nervous because you are worried about what might happen 〔因担心某事发生而〕神经紧张的My nerves were on edge, waiting for the results of the test. 我紧张地等待着考试结果。Redundancies and other work upheavals have put employees on edge. 裁员以及职场的动荡让员工们紧张不安。neurotic nervous and anxious in a way that is not normal or reasonable 神经质的，神经过敏的She’s completely neurotic about food hygiene. 她对食品卫生太神经过敏了。a neurotic mother 神经质的母亲edgy/jumpy/jittery nervous because you are worried about what might happen 〔因担心某事发生而〕紧张不安的Investors are a little edgy about the financial markets these days. 投资者对于最近的金融市场有点心慌。nThere was a lot of pressure on the team tonight and that’s why they were a little jumpy.highly-strung British English, high-strung American English becoming nervous or upset easily because that is your character 〔性格〕紧张敏感的Like many musicians, he’s very sensitive and highly-strung. 和许多音乐家一样，他也非常敏感，容易激动。be a nervous wreck to feel extremely nervous and unable to relax 神经极度紧张After 10 months of teaching, I was a total nervous wreck. 经历了十个月的教学工作，我感到神经极度紧张。have butterflies (in your stomach) informal to feel nervous about something that you are going to do very soon because it is important and you want to do it well 心里紧张不安，心里七上八下Actors often have butterflies before going on stage. 演员上台表演前心里往往非常紧张。Examples from the Corpus
nervous• Stop tapping your feet! You're making me nervous.• The sounds outside were making me feel nervous.• The stage is huge, you know, and I walked out there, and I was real nervous.• We were always concerned, but never nervous.• Kelli was so nervous about her exam that she couldn't sleep.• I'm a little nervous about leaving the kids at home all alone.• I was so nervous about my exams that I couldn't sleep.• Many investors are nervous about their investments after the recent drop in the stock market.• Harry began to feel nervous again as the plane made its descent.• Bill looked nervous, and I could see his hands were shaking.• Skinheads, on the other hand, are nervous and twitchy.• I'm always nervous before exams.• She's such a nervous child we don't like to leave her on her own.• a nervous disorder• People of a nervous disposition may be upset by some of the scenes in the following programme.• Mum gets nervous if we don't call to say we're late.• Mr Darby was a mild, nervous man who seemed to expect people to ignore him.• Jill's always been a little nervous of dogs.• As soon as you make a nervous slip, he explodes with anger - humiliating you in front of colleagues.• Sanders reassured nervous students that loans would be available this fall.• The basis of these unities does not seem to lie within the nervous system as it is currently conceived.• It became possible to test theories about nervous system functions.• Doctors say the drug causes body temperatures to rise so high that the central nervous system shuts down.• You know what makes me nervous? When people drive really close behind you.• It makes me nervous when you drive that fast.• a thin, nervous womannervous about something• I didn't know him and was really nervous about having to work with him.of a nervous disposition• She was of a nervous disposition, Miss Kilspindie.nervous condition/illness/disorder• Actual bodily harm need not be serious harm and it has been held to include a hysterical and nervous condition.• Many of their colleagues are off work sick for long periods being treated for nervous disorders.• There are wards for children with pulmonary disease and nervous disorders.• Let us therefore assume that nervous disorders act as an intervening variable.• In the first, nervous disorders are just an additional cause of absenteeism, but are unrelated to the type of job.• Voice over Multiple Sclerosis is a nervous condition brought about by the destruction of blood vessels in the brain.• In the second, nervous disorders have no effect on absenteeism, despite the fact that they are caused by poor jobs.• She decides to seek medical help for bulimia, the nervous illness that has been dogging her marriage almost from the start.ner·vous adjective →n COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
about and relax unable something, to worried Corpus frightened or
nervous
ner‧vous S3 W3 /ˈnɜːvəs $ ˈnɜːr-/
adjective
nervous about
She was so nervous about her exams that she couldn’t sleep.
I wish you’d stop looking at me like that. You’re making me nervous.
feel/get nervous
Paul always gets nervous whenever he has to give a presentation.
nervous smile/laugh/look/glance
‘Don’t be silly,’ she said with a nervous laugh. ‘There’s no such thing as ghosts.’
By the time I got into the interview I was a nervous wreck (=was extremely nervous).
nervous of
We were all a bit nervous of him at first (=frightened of him).
2. often becoming worried or frightened, and easily upset:
She’s a nervous, sensitive child.
The film is unsuitable for people of a nervous disposition (=who are easily frightened).
3. [only before noun] related to the nerves in your body
nervous condition/illness/disorder
She was suffering from a nervous condition.
He had a nervous twitch (=his body made small uncontrolled movements).
4. nervous exhaustion/strain a mental condition in which you feel very tired, usually caused by working too hard or by a difficult emotional problem
—nervously adverb:
She smiled nervously.
—nervousness noun [uncountable]:
Mike’s nervousness showed in his voice.
■ verbs
▪feel nervous He looked at her for so long that she began to feel nervous.
▪get/become nervous Everyone gets nervous before a big game.
▪seem/appear nervous She seemed nervous at first, but her presentation was good.
▪look/sound nervous He sounded nervous and uncertain.
▪make somebody nervous Being alone in the house made her nervous.
■ adverbs
▪slightly nervous Looking slightly nervous, Paul began to speak.
▪a little/a bit nervous I was a little nervous before the interview.
▪extremely nervous The policeman noticed that the driver seemed extremely nervous.
■ nouns
▪a nervous smile/laugh/giggle ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said, with a nervous smile.
▪nervous laughter His comment was met with nervous laughter.
▪a nervous look/glance Lucy swallowed as she sent him a nervous glance.
▪nervous tension (=a feeling of being very tense and nervous) It was the play’s opening night, and Gloria was in a state of nervous tension.
■ phrases
▪be a nervous wreck (=be so nervous or worried that you cannot deal with a situation) By the end of the rehearsal I was a nervous wreck.
▪ nervous worried or a little frightened about something and unable to relax: Kelly was so nervous about her exam that she couldn’t sleep. | It makes me nervous when you drive that fast.
▪tense worried and unable to relax in a way that makes you get angry or upset easily: Mary’s problems at work were making her tense and irritable.
▪uneasy nervous because you feel that something bad might happen, so that you are unable to relax until the danger has passed: I began to feel uneasy when he still hadn’t phoned by 11 o'clock.
▪on edge if you are on edge or your nerves are on edge, you feel nervous because you are worried about what might happen: My nerves were on edge, waiting for the results of the test. | Redundancies and other work upheavals have put employees on edge.
▪neurotic nervous and anxious in a way that is not normal or reasonable: She’s completely neurotic about food hygiene. | a neurotic mother
▪edgy/jumpy/jittery nervous because you are worried about what might happen: Investors are a little edgy about the financial markets these days. | There was a lot of pressure on the team tonight and that’s why they were a little jumpy.
▪highly-strung British English, high-strung American English becoming nervous or upset easily because that is your character: Like many musicians, he’s very sensitive and highly-strung.
▪be a nervous wreck to feel extremely nervous and unable to relax: After 10 months of teaching, I was a total nervous wreck.
▪have butterflies (in your stomach) informal to feel nervous about something that you are going to do very soon because it is important and you want to do it well: Actors often have butterflies before going on stage.
ner‧vous S3 W3 /ˈnɜːvəs $ ˈnɜːr-/
adjective Word Family: adjective: nervous, nerveless, nerve-racking, nervy, unnerving; noun: nerve, nerves, nervousness; verb: nerve, unnerve; adverb: nervously
1. worried or frightened about something, and unable to relax ⇨ anxiousnervous about
feel/get nervous
nervous smile/laugh/look/glance
nervous of
2. often becoming worried or frightened, and easily upset:
3. [only before noun] related to the nerves in your body
nervous condition/illness/disorder
4. nervous exhaustion/strain a mental condition in which you feel very tired, usually caused by working too hard or by a difficult emotional problem
—nervously adverb:
—nervousness noun [uncountable]:
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worried thinking about unpleasant things that might happen or might have happened and therefore feeling unhappy and afraid 指因想到令人不快的事而担心的、担忧的 concerned worried and feeling concern about sth 指担心的、忧虑的、关切的
worried or concerned? 用 worried 还是 concerned？
nervous feeling worried about sth or slightly afraid of sth 指焦虑的、担忧的、惶恐的 anxious feeling worried or nervous about sth 指焦虑的、忧虑的、担心的
worried, nervous or anxious? 用 worried、nervous 还是 anxious？
uneasy feeling worried or unhappy about a particular situation, especially because you think sth bad may happen or because you are not sure that what you are doing is right 指担心的、忧虑的、不安的，尤其想到不幸的事情可能发生或不确定自己是否做得对
Patterns
worried/concerned/nervous/anxious/uneasy about (doing) sthworried/concerned/anxious for sb/sthworried/concerned/nervous/anxious that… a(n) worried/concerned/nervous/anxious/uneasy expression/look/smile to get worried/nervous/anxious
nervous easily worried or frightened 指神经质的、易紧张焦虑的、胆怯的 ：◆ She was of a nervous disposition .她生性容易紧张。 NOTE See also the entry forworried .另见 worried 词条。 neurotic not behaving in a reasonable, calm way, because you are worried about sth 指神经质的、神经过敏的 ：◆ She became neurotic about keeping the house clean. 她变得对保持房屋清洁有点神经质。 on edge nervous or bad-tempered 指紧张不安的、烦躁的、易怒的 ：◆ She was always on edge before an interview. 她在面试前总是紧张不安。 jittery ( anxious and nervous指紧张不安的、心神不宁的 ：◆ All this talk of job losses was making him jittery. 所有这些关于失业的话题使他心神不宁。
Patterns
a nervous/neurotic man/woman/girl to feel nervous/on edge/jitterya bit nervous/on edge/jittery
