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Definition 2024


nerf

nerf

English

Verb

nerf (third-person singular simple present nerfs, present participle nerfing, simple past and past participle nerfed)

  1. (motor racing) To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.
    A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From the trademark NERF, which sold toy guns firing missiles of soft foam, ineffective as actual weapons (1969).

Verb

nerf (third-person singular simple present nerfs, present participle nerfing, simple past and past participle nerfed)

  1. (slang, video games) To weaken, deteriorate or debuff (a character, a weapon, a spell, etc. or make it worsen) between multiple installments of a series of games or versions of the same game.
    The lightning spell was originally pretty powerful, but in the sequel they nerfed it so it became completely useless.

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Dutch

Etymology 1

From earlier nerve, from Middle Dutch *narwe, from Old Dutch *narwa, from Proto-Germanic *narwō. For the change of -rwe → -rf, compare verf.

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje n)

  1. grain of wood

Etymology 2

From Latin nervus.

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje n)

  1. (obsolete) nerve
  2. vein of a leaf

French

Etymology

From Middle French nerf, from Old French nerf, from Latin nervus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɛʁ/

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfs)

  1. (anatomy) nerve
  2. (figuratively) force, power, strength
    Les nerfs, les garçons! On n'est pas sur un bateau de plaisance. Put some muscle into it, boys! We are not on a pleasure boat!

Derived terms

Related terms


Middle French

Etymology

From Old French nerf.

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfz)

  1. nerve

Descendants


Old French

Etymology

From Latin nervus.

Noun

nerf m (oblique plural ners, nominative singular ners, nominative plural nerf)

  1. nerve
    • 1303, Bernard de Gordon, Fleur de lis de medecine (a.k.a. lilium medicine), page 185 of this essay:
      Donc lepre est maladie de chair et non pas du cueur, ne des os, de des nerfs etc.
      Therefore leprosy is a disease of the flesh and not of the heart, nor of the bones, nor of the nerves, etc.

Related terms

Descendants


Welsh

Etymology

Borrowing from Medieval Latin nervus (nerve), from Latin nervus (sinew).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɛrv/

Noun

nerf f (plural nerfau)

  1. nerve

Derived terms