Get on my nerves
Meaning
To irritate or annoy someone intensely, causing a feeling of discomfort or frustration.
Origin
The phrase "get on my nerves" draws its power from the literal understanding of the human nervous system, which became more widely understood and discussed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Before this, "nerves" were often vaguely associated with courage or fortitude. As medical science progressed, however, the concept of delicate nerve fibers transmitting sensations and impulses throughout the body solidified. Thus, to have something "get on your nerves" paints a vivid, almost physical picture: it's as if an irritating external stimulus is literally grating against these sensitive internal pathways, causing a jangling, unsettling feeling. It perfectly captures that visceral sense of annoyance, transforming a physiological understanding into a common metaphor for intense irritation.
Examples
- The constant dripping of the faucet in the middle of the night really started to get on my nerves.
- His habit of clicking his pen during meetings consistently gets on everyone's nerves.