different between serious vs nerve

English

Etymology

From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin s?ri?sus, an extension of Latin s?rius (“grave, earnest, serious”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English sw?r (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s???.i.?s/, [?si??.i.?s]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s??.?i.?s/
• Rhymes: -???i?s
• Homophones: cereous, Sirius (one pronunciation)

Adjective

serious (comparative more serious or seriouser, superlative most serious or seriousest)

1. Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition

   It was a surprise to see the captain, who had always seemed so serious, laugh so heartily.

   Synonyms: earnest, solemn

2. Important; weighty; not insignificant

   This is a serious problem. We'll need our best experts.

3. Really intending what is said (or planned, etc); in earnest; not jocular or deceiving

   After all these years, we're finally getting serious attention.

   He says he wants to buy the team, but is he serious?

4. (of a relationship) Committed.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:serious

Antonyms

• (important, weighty): trifling, unimportant
• (intending what is said): jesting

Derived terms

• srs (abbreviation)
• dead serious
• seriously
• seriousness
• serious-minded
• serious-mindedly
• serious-mindedness

Translations

Adverb

serious (not comparable)

1. (colloquial, dialect) In a serious manner; seriously.

Further reading

• serious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• serious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

Recorded since circa 1374, from Medieval Latin nervus (“nerve”), from Latin nervus (“sinew”). Doublet of neuron and sinew.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /n?v/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /n??v/
• (NYC) IPA^(key): /n??v/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /n??v/
• Rhymes: -??(?)v

Noun

nerve (plural nerves)

1. A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.

   Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:nerve

2. (nonstandard, colloquial) A neuron.
3. (botany) A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood

4. Courage, boldness.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:courage

   • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Jack Wilshere scores twice to ease Arsenal to victory over Marseille (in The Guardian, 26 November 2013)[2]

     A trip to the whistling, fire-cracking Stadio San Paolo is always a test of nerve but Wenger's men have already outplayed the Italians once.

5. Patience.

6. Stamina, endurance, fortitude.
7. Audacity, gall.

   Synonyms: brashness, brazenness, balls; see also Thesaurus:courage
8. (polymer technology) The elastic resistance of raw rubber or other polymers to permanent deformation during processing.

   A nervy tank lining will be difficult to lay around tight bends or in corners because it tends to spring back.

   • 1959, Newell A Perry, Eric O Ridgway, US patent US2870103 A[3]

     The nerviness (ability to recover quickly from strain or stretching) ... generally requires it to be broken down or masticated on the mill before the other compounding ingredients are added. In the break-down operation, heat is inherently generated by the sheer action of the milling or mixing equipment on the polymer. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain the desired low temperatures during the milling or mixing... An object of this invention is to reduce the inherent nerve of ... polymers ... during break-down.

9. (in the plural) Agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotion.

10. (obsolete) Sinew, tendon.
    • 1610, The Tempest, by Shakespeare, act 1 scene 2

      Come on; obey: / Thy nerves are in their infancy again, / And have no vigour in them.

    • 1725, Alexander Pope. Pope's Homer: Odyssey Book X [4]

      Whilst thus their fury rages at the bay,
      My sword our cables cut, I call'd to weigh,
      And charg'd my men, as they from fate would fly,
      Each nerve to strain, each bending oar to ply.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

nerve (third-person singular simple present nerves, present participle nerving, simple past and past participle nerved)

1. (transitive) To give courage.

   May their example nerve us to face the enemy.

2. (transitive) To give strength; to supply energy or vigour.

   The liquor nerved up several of the men after their icy march.

Usage notes

• Sometimes used with “up”.

Synonyms

• (give strength): See also Thesaurus:strengthen

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Verne, erven, never

Dutch

Noun

nerve f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje n)

1. Obsolete form of nerf.

Anagrams

• erven, reven, veren

French

Verb

nerve

1. first-person singular present indicative of nerver
2. third-person singular present indicative of nerver
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of nerver
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of nerver
5. second-person singular imperative of nerver

German

Pronunciation

Verb

nerve

1. inflection of nerven:
   1. first-person singular present
   2. first/third-person singular subjunctive I
   3. singular imperative

Latin

Noun

nerve

1. vocative singular of nervus

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ?????? (neûron), and Latin nervus

Noun

nerve m (definite singular nerven, indefinite plural nerver, definite plural nervene)

1. nerve

Derived terms

• isjiasnerve
• nervecelle
• nervesystem

References

“nerve” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ?????? (neûron), and Latin nervus

Noun

nerve m (definite singular nerven, indefinite plural nervar, definite plural nervane)

1. nerve

Derived terms

• isjiasnerve
• nervecelle
• nervesystem

References

• “nerve” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.