bundle of nerves

noun

1. someone who is overcome with worry, fear, or anxiety:

   He’s an incredible singer but a complete bundle of nerves before a performance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bundle of nerves¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Idioms and Phrases

Extremely jittery, tense, or fearful person, as in For months after the accident, Aunt Jane was a bundle of nerves . [1930s]

Example Sentences

"I have just been a bundle of nerves for days, it is just complete relief."

From BBC

The major concern was how much damage had been done to his spinal cord, which is a bundle of nerves that transmits information between the brain and the body.

From BBC

The Spinal Cord The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that connects the brain to the rest of the body, allowing messages to be sent back and forth.

From NewsForKids.net

If you are attacked, the most sensitive part of a shark is its nose, which is a bundle of nerves, and its eyes.

From National Geographic

What do you say when your best friend has lost his mojo because you tried to reduce him to a paranoid bundle of nerves terrified of going into anaphylactic shock?

From Literature

Related Words

• agitated
• anxious
• disturbed
• edgy
• fidgety
• itchy
• nervous
• restive
• sleepless
• troubled
• uneasy
• unruly
• unsettled