nerves of steel
4
5.8
- idiom
- Informal
:
nervios de acero
- The firefighter showed nerves of steel as he bravely entered the burning building to save the trapped residents.
- requires nerves of steel
- takes nerves of steel
- says she has nerves of steel
For one mother with nerves of steel and few boundaries when it comes to sharing things on the Internet, the answer is very, very far.
- For one mother with nerves of steel and few boundaries when it comes to sharing things on the Internet, the answer is very, very far.
Examples
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Talk about nerves of steel... completely surrounded, and he didn't even blink.
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Cool head, quick mind, nerves of steel.
Fiction book (1991) -
Back in New York they used to say I had nerves of steel.
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You gotta have nerves of steel.
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You must have nerves of steel to go undercover.
Blog text (4) -
They must have nerves of steel, those two.
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You don't get to the top of the eye game without nerves of steel.
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You've got nerves of steel!
Blog text (4) -
To complete his amazing feat, Baumgartner had to prepare, practice, pay attention to detail, surround himself with an incredible support staff, have no fear, believe in himself, and have nerves of steel.
Blog text (15) -
They say I've got nerves of steel, except when I'm dealing with spiders.
Synonyms
104
2.3
A person's willingness to face danger or pain without fear
5
7.7
Brave action in dangerous situations, especially in battle
4
7.6
Courage and determination when facing danger or problems
1
7.0
A brave, determined feeling when facing danger or difficulty
1
7.0
Bravery and determination when facing danger or risk
1
8.9
A person's brave action when they face danger
1
5.1
Bravery and determination in difficult situations
1
7.9
Courage and determination when someone faces danger or difficulty
Being very strong and determined without showing emotion
A calm, steady state during difficult situations
Bravery when facing great danger, often in battle
Great courage shown when facing danger
Being willing to face danger, fear, or pain without moving away
Brave and determined actions in hard times
Antonyms
How Brave
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'exceptional courage and composure' is directly inferable by combining 'nerves' (courage/composure) with 'steel' (a strong, unbending metal) — a straightforward metaphor likening nerves to steel. This compositional, cross-linguistically common metaphor would be accessible to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase nerves of steel paints a simple picture: it compares a person's nerves to steel, a metal that does not break easily. So, saying someone has nerves of steel means they stay 'calm' and 'brave' in very hard or dangerous situations.