impulse | ||
1. | [ noun ] an instinctive motive | |
Synonyms: | urge | |
Examples: | "profound religious impulses" |
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Related terms: | motivation wanderlust adience death_instinct abience | |
2. | [ noun ] a sudden desire | |
Synonyms: | whim vagary caprice | |
Examples: | "he bought it on impulse" |
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Related terms: | desire | |
3. | [ noun ] (physics,electricity) the electrical discharge that travels along a nerve fiber | |
Synonyms: | nerve_impulse | |
Examples: | "they demonstrated the transmission of impulses from the cortex to the hypothalamus" |
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Related terms: | electrical_discharge action_potential | |
4. | [ noun ] (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients) | |
Synonyms: | pulsation pulse pulsing | |
Examples: | "the pulsations seemed to be coming from a star" |
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Related terms: | wave electronics pulse | |
5. | [ noun ] the act of applying force suddenly | |
Synonyms: | impetus impulsion | |
Examples: | "the impulse knocked him over" |
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Related terms: | drive propel | |
6. | [ noun ] an impelling force or strength | |
Synonyms: | momentum | |
Examples: | "the car's momentum carried it off the road" |
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Related terms: | force | |
Similar spelling: |
impulsive impulsion impel |