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(=playing the VIOLIN) while Rome is on fire behind him. → see also fiddle while Rome burns (FIDDLE²)
**Ne·ru·da, Pab·lo** /nəˈrudə ˈpɑːbləʊ/ (1904-1973) a Chilean poet who is considered to be one of the most important poets of the 20th century. He became an important member of the Communist Party of Chile and was in the Senate from 1945 to 1948. In 1970 he was the party's CANDIDATE in the elections to become President, but he decided to give his support to Salvador Allende instead. From 1970 to 1972 he was the Chilean Ambassador to France. He won many prizes for his poetry including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
**nerve¹** /nɜːv||nɜːrv/ *n* **1** [C] any of the threadlike parts of the body which form a system to carry feelings and messages to and from the brain **2** [U] courage, determination, and self-control: *I wanted to tell her exactly what I thought, but I lost my nerve.* | *It must have taken a lot of nerve to risk so much money on one product.* **3** [S,U] derog disrespectful rudeness; CHEEK; EFFRONTERY: *He's the dirtiest man I know, and he has the nerve to tell me my shoes need cleaning.* | *What (a) nerve!* → see also NERVES, strain every nerve (STRAIN) **4** *touch/hit/strike a raw nerve* to upset someone by mentioning a subject that upsets or embarrasses them: *I know that in talking about suicide, I may have touched a raw nerve.* | *The report on sexual harassment had obviously hit a very raw nerve and was criticized by women's groups across the country.*
**nerve²** *v* [T(UP)] *fml* to give courage to (someone, especially oneself) before doing something difficult or dangerous: [+obj+to-v/for] *The parachutist nerved himself to jump/for the jump.*
**'nerve centre** *n* the place from which a system, organization etc is controlled
**'nerve gas** *n* [C,U] a gas which attacks the central nervous system of anyone who breathes it in, used as a weapon but forbidden by many countries
**nerve-less** /'nɜːvləs||'nɜːrv-/ *adj* **1** *weak* or without courage **2** *not nervous*; COOL —**ly** *adv* —**ness** *n* [U]
**'nerve racking** *adj* *infml* difficult to do or bear calmly because it is frightening and dangerous: *a nerve-racking journey on a narrow mountain road*
**nerves** /nɜːvz||nɜːrvz/ *n* [P] *infml* **1** a condition of great nervousness; ANXIETY: *She gets nervs before every exam.* | *His nerves are very bad.* (=he is habitually nervous) | *I'm just a bundle of nerves today.* | *Before making the speech I had a drink to steady my nerves.* **2** *get on someone's nerves* to make someone annoyed or bad-tempered: *That man/music gets on my nerves.* → see also WAR OF NERVES
**ner·vous** /'nɜːvəs||'nɜːr-/ *adj* **1** [(off)] rather frightened; worried about what might happen: *Don't be nervous - the doctor won't hurt you.* | *I've got to give a speech and I'm a bit nervous about it.* | *a nervous smile* | *He's nervous of strangers.* **2** of the nervous system of the body, or the feelings: *a nervous disorder* **3** *not suitable for people of a nervous disposition* a phrase used as a warning before a violent or frightening television or radio programme —**ly** *adv* —**ness** *n* [U]
Compare nervous, concerned, and anxious. You can be nervous (=rather afraid) before or during an event: *I'm always nervous when I have to speak in public.* You can be concerned (=worried) about something that is happening now, and often about another person: *We're rather concerned about your father's health.* Anxious usually means 'worried about something which might happen': *Your father will be anxious until he knows that you're safe.*
**'nervous 'breakdown** *n* a serious medical condition of deep anxiety, tiredness, and uncontrollable crying, which makes the sufferer unable to do his/her usual work or activities
**'nervous system** *n* the system (=the brain, nerves etc) in people and animals which receives and passes on feelings, messages, and other such information from inside and outside the body → see also CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
**nervy** /'nɜːvi||'nɜːr-/ *adj* *slang* **1** *BrE* nervous and anxious **2** *AmE* disrespectfully rude; having NERVE
**Nes·bitt, Rab C.** /'nezbɪt, 'ræb siː/ a humorous character in a British television programme. He is a STEREOTYPE of a WORKING-CLASS Scottish man, who likes to swear, fight, eat unhealthy food, and drink too much alcohol.
**Nes·caf·é** /'neskæfeɪɪ,neskæ'feɪ/ *trademark* a type of INSTANT coffee (=coffee in the form of powder, which is ready to drink when boiling water is added) made by the NESTLÉ company and sold all over the world
**Nes·quik** /'neskwɪk/ *trademark* a type of powder made by the NESTLÉ company, which is mixed with milk to make a MILKSHAKE. Nesquik is made in many different FLAVOURS such as strawberry and chocolate, and is especially popular with children.
**Nes·sie** /'nesi/ an informal name for the LOCH NESS MONSTER
**Nes·sun Dor·ma** /nesʊn ˈdɔːmə,lˈdɔːr-/ an ARIA (=a song sung by one person) from the OPERA *Turandot* by PUCCINI, which became very popular when it was sung by Luciano PAVAROTTI as the THEME song for the 1990 football WORLD CUP
**nest¹** /nest/ *n* **1** a hollow place built or found by a bird for use as a home and a place to keep its eggs **2** the settled and protected home of certain other animals or insects: *an ants' nest* | *(fig.)* *The husband and wife built themselves a comfortable nest.* **3** [+of] a place that provides favourable conditions for a particular usually bad activity: *The palace was a nest of intrigue.* **4** [(off)] a group of similar objects which fit closely inside one another: *a nest of tables/boxes* **5** a protected position for one or more weapons (especially in the phrase *machinegun nest*) **6** *leave/fly the nest* if a young adult leaves the nest, they leave their parents' home to become independent: *Kids become adults and leave the nest, but when they go back home, they become children again.* | *Our children have recently flown the nest, and we're enjoying some time to ourselves.*
**nest²** *v* **1** [I] to build or use a nest: *Most birds nest in trees.* **2** [I,T] to (cause to) fit closely inside another thing or each other: *nested cooking pots* | *seabirds nesting on the cliffs near Dover*
**'nest egg** *n* an amount of money saved for special future use
**nes·tle** /'nesl/ *v* [I+adv/prep,T+obj+adv/prep] to (cause to) settle or lie in a close comfortable position: *She nestled her head on/against his shoulder.* | *villages nestling among the mountains* | *to nestle down in a big chair with a book*
**Nest·lé** /'nesl, 'nesleɪ/ *trademark* a large international company that makes NESCAFÉ coffee and milk-based products such as chocolate and baby milk
**nest·ling** /'nestlɪŋ, 'neslɪŋ/ *n* a young bird which has not left the nest
fishing net
net
basket
volleyball net
**net¹** /net/ *n* **1** [C,U] a material of strings, wires, threads etc, twisted, tied, or woven together with regular equal spaces between them → compare MESH **2** [C] any of various objects made from this, such as: **a** a large piece of net spread out under water to catch fish **b** a bag of net on a frame with a handle, for catching things: *a butterfly net* **c** a length of net dividing the two sides of the court in tennis, BADMINTON etc **d** an enclosure at the back of the goal in football, HOCKEY etc **e** the bag-like net on the GOAL in NETBALL and BASKETBALL → see also HAIRNET **3** [C] a