lose nerve

L

lose nerve (idiom)
/luːz nɜːrv/

Meanings

• To become too scared or afraid to do something difficult or risky.
• To lose confidence and hesitate at an important moment.
• To back out of something due to fear.
• To lose the courage to do something you were planning to do.

Synonyms: lose courage; get cold feet; chicken out; falter; hesitate.

Example Sentences

1. You lost your nerve at the last minute and didn’t go through with the presentation.
2. I was ready to ask her out, but I lost my nerve just as I was about to speak.
3. He was about to ask her on a date, but at the last minute, he lost his nerve and just walked away.
4. She practiced her speech for weeks, but when she got on stage and saw the crowd, she completely lost her nerve.
5. The speaker lost nerve just before giving the speech and struggled to continue in front of the large audience.

Origin and History

The idiom “lose one’s nerve” refers to the sudden loss of courage or confidence in the face of a challenge, often resulting in hesitation or withdrawal from an action. Etymologically, the phrase draws from the word “nerve,” which in English has long carried connotations of strength and vitality. Derived from the Latin nervus meaning “sinew” or “tendon,” “nerve” entered Middle English around the 14th century primarily denoting anatomical structures. By the early 17th century, it had extended metaphorically to signify “strength, vigor, or force,” and subsequently “courage or boldness” by around 1809. This evolution reflects a common linguistic pattern where physical terms for bodily resilience symbolize mental fortitude. The construction “lose one’s nerve” thus implies a depletion of this inner strength, akin to a physical failing under pressure. Various theories suggest that the idiom may have arisen in contexts of high-stakes activities like sports or military endeavors, where maintaining composure was paramount, though no single definitive origin theory dominates scholarly discourse.

Historical Development and Beliefs

Historically, the concept of nerves as the seat of courage has roots in ancient physiology, where Greek and Roman thinkers like Galen viewed nerves as conduits for vital spirits that governed both bodily movement and emotional resolve. In English literature and colloquial usage, “nerve” as synonymous with bravery appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries, as seen in phrases like “nerves of steel” by 1869, emphasizing unyielding resolve. Beliefs surrounding the idiom often tie it to psychological interpretations, positing that fear disrupts neural steadiness, leading to “loss” of nerve—a notion echoed in early 20th-century psychology texts discussing anxiety and morale. Some folk etymologies erroneously link it to “lose one’s bottle” (a British variant meaning to back out), but this is a separate rhyming slang expression unrelated to “nerve.” Over time, the idiom has permeated modern English, appearing in literature, journalism, and everyday speech to describe moments of faltering determination, with its usage peaking in the 20th century amid discussions of personal resilience and mental health.

Country of First Appearance

The idiom “lose one’s nerve” first appeared in the United States, emerging within American English vernacular during the late 19th to early 20th century. While the underlying sense of “nerve” as courage has British antecedents from the 17th century, the specific phrasal construction crystallized in American contexts, as evidenced by its inclusion in U.S.-centric idiom dictionaries and early 20th-century publications. This aligns with broader patterns of American English innovating idiomatic expressions around themes of individualism and risk-taking, distinguishing it from parallel British phrases like “lose one’s bottle,” which gained traction later in the UK.

Earliest Printed Record

The earliest printed record of “lose one’s nerve” dates to the early 1900s in American literature, with one of the first documented appearances in the 1903 novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London. In the work, the phrase appears in a context describing a character’s faltering resolve:

“He had lost his nerve, and was afraid of the dark.”

Published on July 20, 1903, by Macmillan Publishers, this usage captures the idiom in its modern sense of succumbing to fear amid adversity. Subsequent references in early 20th-century American periodicals and fiction reinforced its colloquial status, marking a shift from literal anatomical references to metaphorical expressions of cowardice or hesitation. This record underscores the idiom’s rapid integration into everyday language during a period of social and industrial upheaval in the United States.

Variants

• lose courage
• get cold feet
• chicken out
• lose confidence

Fear