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Temerity vs Nerve - What's the difference?

temerity | nerve | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between temerity and nerve

is that temerity is reckless boldness; foolish bravery while nerve is a bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.

As a verb nerve is

to give courage; sometimes with "up".

temerity

English

Noun

  • (not countable) Reckless boldness; foolish bravery.
  • * 1569 , Thomas Pearson, trans., "The Second Paradox," in The booke of Marcus Tullius Cicero entituled Paradoxa Stoicorum , T. Marshe (London),
  • Neyther the spightfull temerity and rashnes of variable fortune, nor the envious hart burning and in iurious hatred of mine enemies shold be able once to damnify me.
  • * 1837 , , The Pickwick Papers , ch. 17,
  • One day when he knew old Lobbs was out, Nathaniel Pipkin had the temerity to kiss his hand to Maria Lobbs.
  • * 1886 , , The Mayor of Casterbridge , ch. 21
  • Elizabeth trotted through the open door in the dusk, but becoming alarmed at her own temerity , she went quickly out again by another which stood open in the lofty wall of the back court.
  • * 1913 , , The Return of Tarzan , ch. 21,
  • I am surprised that you, sir, a man of letters yourself, should have the temerity so to interrupt the progress of science.
  • (countable) An act or case of reckless boldness.
  • * 1910 , , "The Blond Beast," Scribner's Magazine , vol. 48 (Sept),
  • Draper, dear lad, had the illusion of an "intellectual sympathy" between them.... Draper's temerities would always be of that kind.
  • (not countable) Effrontery; impudence.
  • * 1820 , , Precaution , ch. 30,
  • He had very nearly been guilty of the temerity of arrogating to himself another title in the presence of those he most respected.

    Synonyms

    * (reckless boldness): audacity, foolhardiness, rashness, recklessness * (effrontery): brashness, cheek, gall, chutzpah

    References

    * * * * * " temerity" in the Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus (Wordsmyth, 2002) * " temerity" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996) * *

    nerve

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (zoology) A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
  • The nerves can be seen through the skin.''
  • (nonstandard, colloquial) A neuron.
  • (botany) A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood
  • ''Some plants have ornamental value because of their contrasting nerves
  • Courage, boldness.
  • He hasn't the nerve to tell her he likes her, what a wimp!
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Jack Wilshere scores twice to ease Arsenal to victory over Marseille'' (in ''The Guardian , 26 November 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/26/arsenal-marseille-match-report-champions-league]
  • 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.
  • Patience. (rfexample)
  • Stamina, endurance, fortitude.
  • * Milton
  • He led me on to mightiest deeds, / Above the nerve of mortal arm.
  • Audacity, gall.
  • He had the nerve to enter my house uninvited.
  • *
  • (in the plural) Agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotion.
  • Ellie had a bad case of nerves before the big test.
  • (obsolete) Sinew, tendon.
  • * 1610 , , act 1 scene 2
  • Come on; obey: / Thy nerves are in their infancy again, / And have no vigour in them.
    (Alexander Pope)

    Synonyms

    ; Audacity, gall : brashness, brazenness, big balls

    Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * bundle of nerves * get on somebody's nerves/get on one's nerves * nervation * nerveless * nervy * nerve cell * nerve center * nerve ending * nerve fiber * nerve gas * nerve impulse * nerve-racking * nerves of steel * nerve-wracking * nervi-, nervo- * touch a nerve * unnerved * war of nerves

    Verb

    (nerv)
  • To give courage; sometimes with "up".
  • ''May their example nerve us to face the enemy.
  • To give strength
  • ''The liquor nerved up several of the men after their icy march.

    Anagrams

    * ----