nerf

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From automobile racing; to bump another car (ca. 1950s?). From NERF® ("non-expanding recreational foam"), a range of toys made 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. (auto racing) To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.

   A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.

2. (slang) to water down, dumb down or especially weaken, particularly in video games.

   The lightning spell was pretty powerful before they nerfed it.

See also

• nerf bar
• nerf net

Anagrams

• fern, Fern

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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 -rwe > -rf, compare verf.

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje)

1. grain of wood

Etymology 2

From Latin nervus.

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje)

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

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French

Etymology

Latin nervus.

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /nɛʁ/, X-SAMPA: /nER/

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfs)

1. (anatomy) nerve
2. (figuratively) force, power, strength

   Les nerfs, les garcons! On n'est pas sur un bateau de plaisance. — Put some muscle into it, boys! We are not on a pleasure boat!

Derived terms

• nerf de bœuf

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Middle French

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfz)

1. nerve

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Spanish

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfs)

1. (slang) Common misspelling of nerd.

Adjective

nerf m (feminine nerfa, masculine plural nerfs, feminine plural nerfas)

1. (slang) Common misspelling of nerd.

Related terms

• nerfo