What it means
A bag of nerves is someone who's so anxious they can barely sit still. They're jittery, twitchy, all wound up, usually before something big like an exam, interview, first date, speech, or driving test. In UK everyday talk it's common and pretty warm, often said with a little fond tease rather than to be nasty.
Usage examples
"I was a bag of nerves outside the test centre, bouncing my knee like mad. Instructor goes — steady on, mate, you'll be fine."
"She was a bag of nerves before the driving test, couldn't even hold the cup of tea steady."
"I'm a right bag of nerves waiting for the results, jumping every time the phone buzzes."
"He was a total bag of nerves before the interview, kept checking his shirt collar every ten seconds."
"Don't mind her, she's just a bag of nerves today. First day at the new job and her stomach's doing backflips."
