nervus

Etymology

By metathesis of Old Latin *neuros, a thematicization of Proto-Indo-European *snḗh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”). Cognates include Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “tendon, string, nerve”), Old English seonu (“tendon, nerve, sinew”). More at English nerve.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈner.wus/, [ˈnɛr.wʊs]

Noun

nervus m (genitive nervī); second declension

1. (anatomy) A sinew, tendon, nerve, muscle.
2. A cord, string or wire; string of a musical instrument; bow, bowstring; cords or wires by which a puppet is moved.
3. The leather with which shields were covered.
4. A thong with which a person was bound; fetter; prison.
5. (of plants) A fiber or fibre.
6. (figuratively) Vigor, force, power, strength, energy, nerve.

   Synonym: vīs

References

• nervus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• nervus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• nervus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• nervus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to strain every nerve, do one's utmost in a matter: omnes nervos in aliqua re contendere
    
  • to strain every nerve, do one's utmost in a matter: omnibus viribusor nervis contendere, ut
    
  • instrumental music: nervorum et tibiarum cantus
    
  • vocal and instrumental music: vocum et fidium (nervorum) cantus
    
  • to strike the strings of the lyre: pellere nervos in fidibus
    
• nervus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• nervus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Etymology

From Latin nervōsus.

Adjective

nervus m (oblique and nominative feminine singular nervuse)

1. sinew; tendon (attributively)