---
title: nervy — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nervy» in the school dictionary: Nervous, jumpy and easily worried or frightened. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nervy/)

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# nervy

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, horse, It, we, nervy kitten, That · **What happens:** dare, do, feel, be, jump, hold on · **To what, where:** things, bit, test, noise, nervy last five minutes, sofa · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«nervy» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [nervy in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nervy.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK, Australia, NZ — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nervous, jumpy and easily worried or frightened.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:m1:1
# text = Nervous, jumpy and easily worried or frightened.
1	Nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	jumpy	jumpy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	frightened	frightened	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: US, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bold and cheeky, daring to do things others would not.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:m2:1
# text = Bold and cheeky, daring to do things others would not.
1	Bold	bold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	daring	dare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dare** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | things |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I always feel a bit nervy before a test. (UK)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* I always feel a bit nervy before a test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x1:1
# text = I always feel a bit nervy 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	feel	feel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | present | I | a bit |  | a test |  | always *property* | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent bit=Theme before test=Location |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (UK)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x1:2
# text = (UK)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The horse was nervy and jumped at every noise.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x2:1
# text = The horse was nervy and jumped at every noise.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	jumped	jump	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the horse |  |  |  |  | nervy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **jump** | past | the horse *not said here* |  |  | every noise |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at noise=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a nervy last five minutes, but we held on to win.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x3:1
# text = It was a nervy last five minutes, but we held on to win.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	win	win	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a nervy last five minutes |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold on** | past | we | a nervy last five minutes *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent minute=Theme |
| 3 | **win** | to-infinitive | we *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nervy kitten hid under the sofa.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x4:1
# text = The nervy kitten hid under the sofa.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	under	under	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sofa	sofa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | past | the nervy kitten |  |  | the sofa |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent under sofa=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That was a nervy thing to say to the principal! (US)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* That was a nervy thing to say to the principal!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x5:1
# text = That was a nervy thing to say to the principal!
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	principal	principal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | That | a nervy thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  | the principal |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to principal=Recipient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (US)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x5:2
# text = (US)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He gave a nervy laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x6:1
# text = He gave a nervy laugh.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	laugh	laugh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | He | a nervy laugh |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent laugh=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was nervy on her first day at the new school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nervy:x7:1
# text = She was nervy on her first day at the new school.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	nervy	nervy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	amod	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | She |  |  |  | day | nervy *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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