im·pulse
(ĭḿpŭlś)
[Latin impulsus, from past participle of impellere, to impel; see impel.]
noun
- An impelling force; an impetus.
- The motion produced by such a force.
- A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; an abrupt inclination: had an impulse to run away; an impulse of regret that made me hesitate; bought a hat on impulse.
- A motivating force or tendency: “Respect for the liberty of others is not a natural impulse in most men” (Bertrand Russell)
- Electronics A surge of electrical power in one direction.
- Physics The product obtained by multiplying the average value of a force by the time during which it acts. The impulse equals the change in momentum produced by the force in this time interval.
- Physiology The electrochemical transmission of a signal along a nerve fiber that produces an excitatory or inhibitory response at a target tissue, such as a muscle or another nerve.
adjective
- Characterized by impulsiveness or acting on impulse: an impulse shopper; impulse buying.
