nervus (noun M) : root snar-; Old Germ. snara, a snare; Gr. νεῦρον; cf. parvus and παῦρος
* A sinew, tendon, nerve.
* Lit.: his adde nervos, a quibus artus continentur,Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 139: hoc nervos confirmari putant,Caes. B. G. 6, 20: nervus qui platys appellatur,Plin. 26, 8, 58, § 90: hic primum nervos et venas expressit (of Pythagoras the painter),id. 34, 8, 19, § 59: nervorum contractio,Sen. Ep. 66, 40: nervi quos τένοντας Graeci appellant, Cels. 8, 1: condamus alter alterum in nervum bracchialem,let us embrace,Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 99.
* Transf.
* Trop.
* A string of a musical instrument: omnes voces, ut nervi in fidibus, ita sonant, ut, etc.,Cic. de Or. 3, 57, 216: cotidiano cantu vocum et nervorum et tibiarum tota vicinitas personat,id. Rosc. Am. 46, 134; Verg. A. 9, 776; Hor. C. 3, 11, 4.
* A bowstring: reciproca tendens nervo equino concita tela, Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 80 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 176 Rib.): nervoque obversus equino Contendit telum, Verg. A. 9, 622: nervo aptare sagittas,id. ib. 10, 131: erumpit nervo pulsante sagitta,id. G. 4, 313; so Val. Fl. 6, 376; 1, 437; Luc. 7, 141.
* A bow: aliquem fallere nervo,Val. Fl. 3, 182.
* The leather with which shields were covered: scuta nervo firmata,Tac. A. 2, 14; Sil. 4, 293.
* A thong with which a person was bound, Plaut. Curc. 5, 3, 11; Veg. Mil. 4, 9.
* The cords or wires by which a puppet is moved: duceris ut nervis alienis mobile lignum,Hor. S. 2, 7, 82.
* A fetter: nervum appellamus etiam ferreum vinculum, quo pedes impediuntur: quamquam Plautus eo etiam cervices vinciri ait: Perfidiose captus edepol nervo cervices probat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 165 Müll.: VINCITO AVT NERVO, AVT COMPEDIBVS, Lex XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 20, 1: in nervo atque compedibus aetatem agunt, Cato ap. Gell. 11, 18, 18; cf. Plaut. As. 3, 2, 5: posuit in nervo pedes meos,Vulg. Job, 33, 11.
* A prison: in nervum aliquem rapere,Plaut. Capt. 5, 3, 45: in nervo jacebis,id. Curc. 5, 3, 40; cf. id. Capt. 3, 5, 71: vereor ne istaec fortitudo in nervum erumpat denique,will lay you by the heels, bring you into durance,Ter. Phorm. 2, 2, 10; 4, 4, 15: eximere de nervo aliquem,Liv. 6, 15, 9: misit in nervum,Vulg. Jer. 20, 2.
* Nerve, vigor, force, power, strength: digna res est ubi tu nervos intendas tuos,Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 20: onus ... dignum, in quo omnes nervos aetatis industriaeque meae contenderem,Cic. Verr. 1, 12, 35: omnibus nervis mihi contendendum est, ut, etc.,id. ib. 2, 3, 56, § 130: opibus ac nervis ad perniciem suam uti,Caes. B. G. 1, 20; Cic. Phil. 5, 12, 32: nervi belli pecunia,id. ib. 5, 2, 5: vectigalia nervos esse rei publicae,id. Imp. Pomp. 7, 17: legionum nervos incidere,id. Phil. 12, 3, 8: poëtae molliunt animos, nervos omnes virtutis elidunt,id. Tusc. 2, 11, 27: video, fore nervis opus sapientiāque tuā,id. Fam. 3, 10, 1: loci inhaerentes in nervis causarum,intimately connected with them,id. de Or. 3, 27, 106: nervi conjurationis,the leaders,Liv. 7, 39, 6.
* In partic., of expression, force, energy: horum oratio neque nervos, neque aculeos oratorios ac forenses habet,Cic. Or. 19, 62; cf. id. de Or. 3, 21, 80: nervi in dicendo,id. ib. 2, 22, 91: sectantem levia nervi Deficiunt,Hor. A. P. 26.