impulse

Noun

Synonyms: urge caprice whim nerve impulse nervous impulse neural impulse pulsation pulsing pulse impulsion impetus momentum

WordNet 3.0

Noun (6)

an instinctive motive“profound religious impulses”Synonyms: urge
a sudden desire“he bought it on an impulse”Synonyms: caprice whim
the electrical discharge that travels along a nerve fiber“they demonstrated the transmission of impulses from the cortex to the hypothalamus”Synonyms: nerve impulse nervous impulse neural impulse
(electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)“the pulsations seemed to be coming from a star”Synonyms: pulsation pulsing pulse
the act of applying force suddenly“the impulse knocked him over”Synonyms: impulsion impetus
an impelling force or strength“the car's momentum carried it off the road”Synonyms: momentum

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Impulse \Im*pulse"\, v. t. [See Impel.] To impel; to incite. [Obs.] --Pope. [1913 Webster]

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 spontaneous animal motion is performed by mechanical impulse.— S. Clarke.[1913 Webster]

2.The effect of an impelling force; motion produced by a sudden or momentary force. [1913 Webster]

3.(Mech.) The action of a force during a very small interval of time; the effect of such action; as, the impulse of a sudden blow upon a hard elastic body. [1913 Webster]

4.A mental force which simply and directly urges to action; hasty inclination; sudden motive; momentary or transient influence of appetite or passion; propension; incitement; as, a man of good impulses; passion often gives a violent impulse to the will; to buy something on impulse. [1913 Webster +PJC]

These were my natural impulses for the undertaking.— Dryden.

Syn: Force; incentive; influence; motive; feeling; incitement; instigation. [1913 Webster]