---
title: nerves — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nerves» in the school dictionary: Nerves are thin fibres in your body that carry messages between your brain and other parts of your body, so you can feel and move. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# nerves

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Nerves, body, you, spinal cord, I, Deep breaths · **What happens:** be, carry, feel, move, mean, get · **To what, where:** thin fibres, body, messages, worried nervous feeling, courage, skin

<!-- .vabout -->
«nerves» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [nerves in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nerves.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nerves are thin fibres in your body that carry messages between your brain and other parts of your body, so you can feel and move.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:m1:1
# text = Nerves are thin fibres in your body that carry messages between your brain and other parts of your body, so you can feel and move.
1	Nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	fibres	fibre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	carry	carry	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	between	between	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
21	so	so	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	_
22	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
23	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	24	aux	_	_
24	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Nerves | thin fibres |  | your body |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **carry** | present | your body | messages |  |  |  | between your brain and other parts of your body | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |
| 3 | **feel** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **move** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nerves (informal) means the worried, nervous feeling you get before something important, like a test or a show.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:m2:1
# text = Nerves (informal) means the worried, nervous feeling you get before something important, like a test or a show.
1	Nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	informal	informal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	before	before	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obl	_	_
15	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Nerves | the worried nervous feeling |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeling=Topic |
| 2 | **get** | present | you | the worried nervous feeling *not said here* |  |  | before something |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer feeling=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nerves can mean courage to stay calm in a hard moment, as in «nerves of steel».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:m3:1
# text = Nerves can mean courage to stay calm in a hard moment, as in «nerves of steel».
1	Nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	courage	courage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	steel	steel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Nerves | courage |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stay** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Nerves *not said here* |  |  |  | moment | as nerves of steel; calm *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nerves carry messages from your skin to your brain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x1:1
# text = Nerves carry messages from your skin to your brain.
1	Nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carry	carry	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | present | Nerves | messages |  | your skin |  | to your brain | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent message=Theme from skin=Initial\_Location to brain=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x2:1
# text = The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	spinal	spinal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cord	cord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bundle	bundle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the spinal cord | a bundle |  |  |  | of nerves | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I always get nerves before a test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x3:1
# text = I always get nerves before a test.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	3	advmod	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | I | nerves |  |  | before a test | always *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer nerve=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Deep breaths help calm your nerves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x4:1
# text = Deep breaths help calm your nerves.
1	Deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	breaths	breath	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	calm	calm	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Deep breaths |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **calm** | infinitive | Deep breaths *not said here* | your nerves |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus nerve=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His loud chewing gets on my nerves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x5:1
# text = His loud chewing gets on my nerves.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	chewing	chewing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | His loud chewing |  |  | my nerves |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent on nerve=Source |
| 2 | **chew** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom chewing «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The goalkeeper had nerves of steel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x6:1
# text = The goalkeeper had nerves of steel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	goalkeeper	goalkeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	steel	steel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the goalkeeper | nerves of steel |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nerve=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was a bag of nerves before the concert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x7:1
# text = She was a bag of nerves before the concert.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	concert	concert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | She | a bag |  |  |  | of nerves before the concert | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When you touch something hot, your nerves send a signal very fast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nerves:x8:1
# text = When you touch something hot, your nerves send a signal very fast.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	touch	touch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	send	send	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	very	very	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **touch** | present | you | something |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme something=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **send** | present | your nerves | a signal |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent signal=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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