IMPULSE

impulse, impulsion, impetus

(noun) the act of applying force suddenly; “the impulse knocked him over”

momentum, impulse

(noun) an impelling force or strength; “the car’s momentum carried it off the road”

pulsation, pulsing, pulse, impulse

(noun) (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients); “the pulsations seemed to be coming from a star”

caprice, impulse, whim

(noun) a sudden desire; “he bought it on an impulse”

urge, impulse

(noun) an instinctive motive; “profound religious impulses”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

impulse (plural impulses)

A thrust; a push; a sudden force that impels.

A wish or urge, particularly a sudden one prompting action.

(physics) The integral of force over time.

Verb

impulse (third-person singular simple present impulses, present participle impulsing, simple past and past participle impulsed)

(obsolete) To impel; to incite.

Source: Wiktionary


Im"pulse, n. Etym: [L. impulsus, fr. impellere. See Impel.]

1. The act of impelling, or driving onward with sudden force; impulsion; especially, force so communicated as to produced motion suddenly, or immediately. All spontaneous animal motion is performed by mechanical impulse. S. Clarke.

2. The effect of an impelling force; motion produced by a sudden or momentary force.

3. (Mech.)

Definition: The action of a force during a very small interval of time; the effect of such action; as, the impulse of a sudden blow upon a hard elastic body.

4. A mental force which simply and directly urges to action; hasty inclination; sudden motive; momentary or transient influence of appetite or passion; propension; incitement; as, a man of good impulses; passion often gives a violent impulse to the will. These were my natural impulses for the undertaking. Dryden.

Syn.

– Force; incentive; influence; motive; feeling; incitement; instigation.

Im*pulse", v. t. Etym: [See Impel.]

Definition: To impel; to incite. [Obs.] Pope.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

4 April 2025

GUILLOTINE

(verb) kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine; “The French guillotined many Vietnamese while they occupied the country”


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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