--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like this book, the dictionary shows you…" description: "\"“Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word \"nervous\" means \"worried about something\" -- you might feel nervous, for instance, if you were ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg" --- # Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word… ![“Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word "nervous" means "worried about something" -- you might feel nervous, for instance, if you were served prune ice cream for dessert, because you would be worried that it would taste awful -- whereas the word "anxious" means "troubled by…” quote by Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg) > ““Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word "nervous" means "worried about something" -- you might feel nervous, for instance, if you were served prune ice cream for dessert, because you would be worried that it would taste awful -- whereas the word "anxious" means "troubled by disturbing suspense," which you might feel if you were served a live alligator for dessert, because you would be troubled by the disturbing suspense about whether you would eat your dessert or it would eat you.”” [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts “nervous” (worry about a specific outcome) with “anxious” (distressed by uncertain suspense) using humorous examples. **In simple terms:** Nervous = specific worry; anxious = uneasy suspense. Key Takeaway Recognize the nuance between similar emotions. Themes language emotion clarity Mood playful educational Type humorous informative When to use this quote - communication training - writing - teaching - self‑awareness Key Concepts psychology semantics Questions to Reflect On - Do you differentiate nervous from anxious in daily life? - How can precise language improve emotional understanding? A Different Perspective People often misuse these words, causing confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Anxious Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious-means-2884389/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Definition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ice cream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-cream/) [Means Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-worried-2884392/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervous Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-means-1229092/) [Word Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-anxious-2884391/) [Word Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-nervous-2884390/) ## Related quotes > [“To hear the phrase “our only hope” always makes one anxious, because it means that if the only hope doesn't work, there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-hear-the-phrase-our-only-hope-always-makes-one-anxious-because-it-2/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Do not be proud of the fact that your grandmother was shocked at something which you are accustomed to seeing or hearing without being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/do-not-be-proud-of-the-fact-that-your-grandmother-was-shocked-at/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [If she is worried about you then that means she cares, If she doesn't care about you that means you should be worried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-valentine/if-she-is-worried-about-you-then-that-means-she-cares-if-she-doesn-t/) [Jonathan Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-valentine/) > [To hear the phrase "our only hope" always makes one anxious, because it means that if the only hope doesn't work, there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-hear-the-phrase-our-only-hope-always-makes-one-anxious-because-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're not nervous, it means you don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/if-you-re-not-nervous-it-means-you-don-t-care/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I think it's good to be nervous. It means you care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafthor-bjornsson/i-think-it-s-good-to-be-nervous-it-means-you-care/) [Hafthor Bjornsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafthor-bjornsson/) > [Nervous means you want to play. Scared means you don't want to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/nervous-means-you-want-to-play-scared-means-you-don-t-want-to-play/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [If you're nervous, that means you care and you want to give your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-lima/if-you-re-nervous-that-means-you-care-and-you-want-to-give-your-best/) [Adriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-lima/) > [“Being scared and nervous means you care, and not only is caring a beautiful thing, but it also means you value the outcome of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/being-scared-and-nervous-means-you-care-and-not-only-is-caring-a/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [Being nervous is not something you should be ashamed of. Nervous means you care, you really want to do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-creamer/being-nervous-is-not-something-you-should-be-ashamed-of-nervous-means/) [Paula Creamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-creamer/) > [If I'm nervous, it means I had to work hard to get there, whether it's playing in a tournament or speaking at an event.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/if-i-m-nervous-it-means-i-had-to-work-hard-to-get-there-whether-it-s/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [I think it's healthy for a person to be nervous. It means you care - that you work hard and want to give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-think-it-s-healthy-for-a-person-to-be-nervous-it-means-you-care/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [I always feel pressure. If you don't feel nervous, that means you don't care about how you play. I care about how I perform.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-always-feel-pressure-if-you-don-t-feel-nervous-that-means-you-don-t/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [When I get nervous, I think about my dad, who would always tell me, 'When you're nervous, it means you care.' So I embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-belair/when-i-get-nervous-i-think-about-my-dad-who-would-always-tell-me-when/) [Bianca Belair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-belair/) > [I think it's healthy for a person to be nervous. It means you care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-think-it-s-healthy-for-a-person-to-be-nervous-it-means-you-care-2/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) ## More by Lemony Snicket > [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Their adventure would be exciting and memorable like being chased by a werewolf through a field of thorny bushes at midnight with nobody around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/their-adventure-would-be-exciting-and-memorable-like-being-chased-by/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“I am very, very sorry to leave you hanging like that, but as I was writing the tale of the Baudelaire orphans, I happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-very-very-sorry-to-leave-you-hanging-like-that-but-as-i-was/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“being skeptical is a good thing for a journalist, because it means you don't completely trust anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/being-skeptical-is-a-good-thing-for-a-journalist-because-it-means-you/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Baudelaire children had a slightly different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/baudelaire-children-had-a-slightly-different/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To those who hadn't been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-those-who-hadn-t-been-around-violet-long-nothing-would-have-seemed/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity," Sunny said, which you will probably recall means something along the lines of "I must admit I don’t have the faintest idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity-sunny-said-which-you-will/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Behind these two booths was an enormous roller coaster, a phrase which here means “a series of small carts where people can sit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/behind-these-two-booths-was-an-enormous-roller-coaster-a-phrase-which/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/all-these-things-are-miracles-it-is-a-miracle-if-you-can-find-true/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Uncle Monty tell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/uncle-monty-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“As you and I listen to Uncle Monty tell the three Baudelaire orphans that no harm will ever come to them in the Reptile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/as-you-and-i-listen-to-uncle-monty-tell-the-three-baudelaire-orphans/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“They tried picturing leaving Uncle Monty and living by themselves, trying to find jobs and take care of each other. It was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/they-tried-picturing-leaving-uncle-monty-and-living-by-themselves/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To Beatrice- darling, dearest, dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-beatrice-darling-dearest-dead/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“The French expression 'cul-de-sac' describes what the Baudelaire orphans found when they reached the end of the dark hallway, and like all French expressions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-french-expression-cul-de-sac-describes-what-the-baudelaire/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) [Explore all 384 Lemony Snicket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word \"nervous\" means \"worried about something\" -- you might feel nervous, for instance, if you were served prune ice cream for dessert, because you would be worried that it would taste awful -- whereas the word \"anxious\" means \"troubled by disturbing suspense,\" which you might feel if you were served a live alligator for dessert, because you would be troubled by the disturbing suspense about whether you would eat your dessert or it would eat you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lemony Snicket" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you-that-the-word-nervous-means/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you-that-the-word-nervous-means/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/lemony-snicket-663_anxiety_like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you_1099585.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like this book, the dictionary shows you that the word \"nervous\" means \"worried about something\" -- you…” — Lemony Snicket", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lemony Snicket", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Like this book, the dictionary shows...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you-that-the-word-nervous-means/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/like-this-book-the-dictionary-shows-you-that-the-word-nervous-means/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```