Meaning & use
the nerve
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformal
the confidence or boldness to do something that other people find shocking or rude
Grammar: Used after 'have' or 'get': she had the nerve to complain.
Patterns
- have the nerve to do something
- get the nerve to do something
- the nerve to do something
He borrowed my bike without asking and then had the nerve to say it was old.
She had the nerve to tell me I was late when she arrived an hour after me.
You've got some nerve, calling me lazy after I did all the work.
phrasefixed phrase
the courage needed to do something difficult or frightening
Grammar: Usually in questions and negatives with 'have' or 'get': did you have the nerve?
Patterns
- have the nerve to do something
- get the nerve to do something
- not have the nerve to do something
I wanted to ask for a raise, but I didn't have the nerve.
It took real nerve to stand up in front of the whole school.
He finally got the nerve to jump off the high board.
Common combinations
- have the nerve to do something
- I can't believe she had the nerve to ask me for money again.
- get the nerve to do something
- It took him months to get the nerve to quit his job.
- lose your nerve
- The climber lost his nerve halfway up and turned back.
- not have the nerve
- I don't have the nerve to sing in public.
- what a nerve
- What a nerve — he parked right in front of my gate.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cheek
- Common in British English for rude boldness, and usually more disapproving than 'the nerve'.
- courage
- Used for bravery in general, including serious danger; 'the nerve' is more often about daring to do something cheeky or scary.
- audacity
- A formal word for bold, often shocking behavior; it fits writing more than everyday speech.
- guts
- Informal and stronger in tone; it stresses plain bravery rather than rudeness.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: the nerve or nerve? the nerve or nerves?
the nerve vs nerve
As a countable noun 'a nerve' is a fiber that carries signals in the body; 'the nerve' in this idiom means boldness, not a body part.
the nerve vs nerves
'Nerves' (plural) usually means worry or tension before something important, as in 'a case of nerves'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'the nerve' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Have the nerve to do something' is the fixed pattern, so option A fits. Option B uses 'nerve' as a body part, not the idiom; C uses 'of' instead of 'to'; D adds 'for' before 'to', which is not grammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the nerve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.