impulse

impulse
1. A sudden pushing or driving force. 2. A sudden, often unreasoning, determination to perform some act. 3. The action potential of a nerve fiber. [L. im-pello, pp. -pulsus, to push against, impel (inp-)]
- apex i. conventionally the lowermost, leftmost area of cardiac pulsation that is usually palpable.
- cardiac i. movement of the chest wall produced by cardiac contraction.
- ectopic i. an electrical i. from an area of the heart other than the sinus node.
- escape i. one or more impulses (atrial, junctional, or ventricular) arising as a result of delay in the formation or arrival of impulses from the prevailing pacemaker.
- irresistible i. a compulsion to act such that one feels or claims it cannot be resisted.
- morbid i. an i. that drives one to commit some act, usually of a deviant or forbidden nature, notwithstanding efforts to restrain oneself.
- right parasternal impulses cardiac activity as palpable or recordable just to the right of the sternum.

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im·pulse 'im-.pəls n
1) a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and esp. nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition
2 a) a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usu. unpremeditated action <some uncontrollable \impulse...may have driven the defendant to the commission of the murderous act (B. N. Cardozo)>
b) a propensity or natural tendency usu. other than rational <the fundamental \impulse of self-expression (Havelock Ellis)>

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n.

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im·pulse (imґpəls) 1. a sudden pushing force. 2. a sudden uncontrollable determination to act. 3. nerve i.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Impulse — Im pulse, n. [L. impulsus, fr. impellere. See {Impel}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of impelling, or driving onward with sudden force; impulsion; especially, force so communicated as to produced motion suddenly, or immediately. [1913 Webster] All… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • impulse — I noun actuation, drive, encouragement, impelling force, impetus, impulsio, impulsion, impulsus, incentive, motivation, motive, pressure, push, spontaneity, spontaneous inclination, stimulant, sudden desire, sudden force, thrust associated… …   Law dictionary

  • impulse — (n.) early 15c., an act of impelling, a thrust, push, from L. impulsus a push against, pressure, shock, also incitement, instigation, impulse, pp. of impellere (see IMPEL (Cf. impel)). Meaning stimulus in the mind arising from some state or… …   Etymology dictionary

  • impulse — [n1] drive, resolve actuation, appeal, bent, caprice, catalyst, desire, disposition, excitant, extemporization, fancy, feeling, flash*, goad, hunch, impellent, impulsion, incitation, incitement, inclination, influence, inspiration, instinct,… …   New thesaurus

  • impulse — [im′puls΄] n. [L impulsus < pp. of impellere: see IMPEL] 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 …   English World dictionary

  • Impulse — Im*pulse , v. t. [See {Impel}.] To impel; to incite. [Obs.] Pope. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impulse — n *motive, spring, incentive, inducement, spur, goad Analogous words: impetus, *stimulus, incitement, stimulant, excitant: urge, passion, lust, *desire, appetite: moving or movement, driving or drive, impelling or impulsion, actuation (see… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • impulse — ► NOUN 1) a sudden strong and unreflective urge to act. 2) a driving force; an impetus. 3) a pulse of electrical energy; a brief current. 4) Physics a force acting briefly on a body and producing a change of momentum. ORIGIN Latin impulsus a push …   English terms dictionary

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