impulse
1. [ noun ] an instinctive motive
Synonyms: urge
Examples:

"profound religious impulses"

Related terms: motivation wanderlust adience death_instinct abience
2. [ noun ] a sudden desire
Synonyms: whim vagary caprice
Examples:

"he bought it on impulse"

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"

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"

Related terms: wave electronics pulse
5. [ noun ] the act of applying force suddenly
Synonyms: impetus impulsion
Examples:

"the impulse knocked him over"

Related terms: drive propel
6. [ noun ] an impelling force or strength
Synonyms: momentum
Examples:

"the car's momentum carried it off the road"

Related terms: force
Similar spelling:   impulsive
  impulsion
  impel