Definition of 'impulse'
Word forms: plural impulses
1. variable noun [oft NOUN to-infinitive]
An impulse is a sudden desire to do something.
2. countable noun
An impulse is a short electrical signal that is sent along a wire or nerve or through the air, usually as one of a series.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
4.
See on impulse
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
impulse in British English
noun
3.
an instinctive drive; urge
5. physics
b.
the change in the momentum of a body as a result of a force acting upon it for a short period of time
8. See on impulse
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C17: from Latin impulsus a pushing against, incitement, from impellere to strike against; see impelWord Frequency
impulse in American English
noun
1.
a.
an impelling, or driving forward with sudden force
b.
an impelling force; sudden, driving force; push; thrust; impetus
c.
the motion or effect caused by such a force
2.
b.
a sudden inclination to act, usually without premeditation
4. Mechanics
the change in momentum effected by a force, measured by multiplying the average value of the force by the time during which it acts
5. Physiology
the progressive wave of excitation over a muscle or nerve fiber, which causes or inhibits activity in the body
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
impulse in American English
(ˈɪmpʌls)
noun
1.
the influence of a particular feeling, mental state, etc
to act under a generous impulse
to strike out at someone from an angry impulse
3.
an instance of this
4.
a psychic drive or instinctual urge
6.
the effect of an impelling force; motion induced; impetus given
7. Physiology
a progressive wave of excitation over a nerve or muscle fiber, having either a stimulating or inhibitory effect
8. Mechanics
the product of the average force acting upon a body and the time during which it acts, equivalent to the change in the momentum of the body produced by such a force
9. Electricity
a single, usually sudden, flow of current in one direction
adjective
10.
marked by or acting on impulse
an impulse buyer
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1640–50; ‹ L impulsus pressure, impulse, equiv. to im- im-1 + pul- (var. s. of pellere to push) + -sus, var. of -tus suffix of v. action]Word Frequency
impulse in Mechanical Engineering
(ɪmpʌls)
Word forms: (regular plural) impulses
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Mechanics and dynamics)
If an impulse is applied to an object, a force acts on it which lasts for a particular period of time.
When a bat hits a ball, an impulse is applied to the ball because the bat puts a force on the ball for a short time.
Forces applied over time create impulses.
If an impulse is applied to an object, a force acts on it which lasts for a particular period of
time.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Mechanical Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
impulse in Electrical Engineering
(ɪmpʌls)
Word forms: (regular plural) impulses
noun
(Electrical engineering: Circuits, Electrical power, Computing and control)
The motor impulse is sufficient to accelerate the round to 750 meters per second in 2.3 seconds.
When the system is subject to an impulse (or any signal of finite duration) it will respond with an output waveform which
lasts past the duration of the input.
An impulse is a disturbance of the voltage waveform that is less than about one millisecond.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Electrical Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'impulse' in a sentence
impulse
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Quotations
I am the very slave of circumstance
And impulse - borne away with every breath!Sardanapalus
And impulse - borne away with every breath!Sardanapalus
To our strongest impulse, to the tyrant in us, not only our reason but also our conscience yieldsBeyond Good and Evil
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In other languages
impulse
British English: impulse
NOUN /ˈɪmpʌls/
An impulse is a sudden desire to do something.
Unable to resist the impulse, he glanced at the sea again.
British English: impulse
ADJECTIVE /ˈɪmpʌls/
An impulse buy or impulse purchase is something that you decide to buy when you see it, although you had not planned to buy it.
The curtains were an impulse buy.
- American English: impulse /ˈɪmpʌls/
- Brazilian Portuguese: impulsivo
- Chinese: 冲动
- European Spanish: impulsivo
- French: impulsif
- German: Impuls-
- Italian: impulsivo
- Japanese: 衝動の
- Korean: 충동
- European Portuguese: impulsivo
- Latin American Spanish: impulsivo
- Thai: ด้วยอารมณ์ชั่ววูบ, ด้วยความใจเร็ว, โดยไม่ได้คิดมาก่อน
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