n.
Pronunciation: ' im- ˌ p ə ls
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin impulsus, from impellere to impel
Date: 1647
1 a : INSPIRATION , MOTIVATION b : a force so communicated as to produce motion suddenly c : INCENTIVE
2 a : the act of driving onward with sudden force : IMPULSION b : motion produced by such an impulsion : IMPETUS c : a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition
3 a : a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action b : a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational
4 a : the product of the average value of a force and the time during which it acts : the change in momentum produced by the force b : PULSE 4A
synonyms see MOTIVE