impulse

US /ˈɪmˌpʌls/

UK /'ɪmpʌls/

B1

noun

  • Sudden desire to do something that is not planned
  • A sudden strong desire to do something
  • A motivating force; an impetus.
  • A force acting briefly on a body and producing a finite change of momentum.
  • A brief surge of electrical current.
  • A sudden strong desire to do something without thinking about whether it is a sensible thing to do.
  • A wave of excitation transmitted through nerve fibers and neurons.

other

  • A sudden desire to do something, often without thinking about the consequences
  • A brief electrical signal transmitted along a nerve fiber or muscle fiber

other

  • The integral of a force over the time interval for which it acts

other

  • A sudden strong urge or desire to act.

Examples

The little black designer dress had been an impulse buy.

Some people will buy a puppy on impulse without any idea of what is involved.