Dictionary

war of nerves en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) Warfare characterized by psychological manipulation, involving tactics intended to demoralize, frighten, and unnerve opponents in order to prompt surrender.
   • Our brave Ottoman soldiers are not easily frightened by noise, owing to their splendid nerves—and this is a war of nerves, a war in which strong nerves mean victory. 1915, Liman von Sanders Pasha, Field Marshal of Turkish forces at Gallipoli, quoted in "Says Turks Will Soon Expel British," New York Times, 9 Aug., p. 2 (retrieved 24 Aug. 2010)
   • In the future, war will not merely be one of men and machines, it will be a war of wills and a war of nerves. 1939, Sir John Anderson quoted in "Women's Service if War Comes," Glasgow Herald, 11 May (retrieved 24 Aug. 2010)
2. (broadly, idiomatic) A situation in which opposed parties refrain from direct conflict but maintain a tense, contentious relationship in which each uses annoyances or intimidating psychological tactics to attempt to dishearten and unnerve the other.
   • "We assume that a dangerous brinkmanship, a war of nerves, is under way, but it will not grow into a hot war," the official told Tass. 2009 May 27, Oleg Shchedrov, “Russia fears Korea conflict could go nuclear”, in Reuters India, retrieved 24 Aug 2010:
   • A united steel industry appeared to have emerged the victor today in a war of nerves to raise prices on some of its products in the face of White House pressure to hold the price line. 1966 August 5, “Steel Industry Appears To Be Victor in Battle of Prices”, in The Free Lance-Star, USA, retrieved 24 Aug 2010, page 1:
   • 14 of America's best chess players are wielding kings, queens and their chessboard servants in a silent but brutal war. . . . "It's a mental war, it's a war of nerves, of logic, or reasoning, of being a good fighter," said Walter Browne. 1983 July 18, “Small Town Host Big Time Chess Tourney”, in Daytona Beach Morning Journal, retrieved 24 Aug 2010, page 8A:

Forms

Hypernyms

psyops[Appendix:Glossary

Synonyms

psychological warfare · psyops · psychological warfare

Translations (30)

fi hermosota (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · it guerra dei nervi (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · fr guerre des nerfs (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · pl wojna nerwów (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · th สงครามประสาท (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · ca guerra de nervis (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · es guerra psicológica (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · nl zenuwoorlog (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · fi hermosota (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · de Nervenkrieg (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · nl zenuwoorlog (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · cmn 神經戰 /神经战 (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · fr guerre psychologique (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · it guerra dei nervi (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · pt guerra de nervos (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · ca guerra de nervis (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · de Nervenkrieg (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · ro război psihologic (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · ro război al nervilor (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · pt guerra de nervos (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · fr guerre des nerfs (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · cmn 心理戰 /心理战 (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · ro război al nervilor (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · th สงครามประสาท (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · nl zenuwenoorlog (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · fi psykologinen sodankäynti (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · pl wojna nerwów (situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship) · sv nervkrig (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · es guerra de nervos (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used) · es guerra psicológica (conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used)