名詞 impulse:

1. an instinctive motive
   同義詞：urge
2. a sudden desire
   同義詞：caprice, whim
3. the electrical discharge that travels along a nerve fiber
   同義詞：nerve impulse
4. (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)
   同義詞：pulsation, pulsing, pulse
5. the act of applying force suddenly
   同義詞：impulsion, impetus
6. an impelling force or strength
   同義詞：momentum

1. We were seized by a sudden impulse to run.
   我們身不由己突然想跑。
2. An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.
   動(dòng)機(jī)一種能作為誘導(dǎo)物而激發(fā)行為的情緒、愿望、心理需要或者類似的心理推動(dòng)力
3. On impulse, I picked up the phone and rang my sister in Australia.
   我一時(shí)心血來潮，拿起話筒就給在澳大利亞的妹妹打了個(gè)電話。
4. He bought the house on an impulse.
   他憑一時(shí)沖動(dòng)買下了這所房子。

im.pulse

n.（名詞）

An impelling force; an impetus.
動(dòng)力：驅(qū)使性的力量；動(dòng)力
The motion produced by such a force.
推動(dòng)：由這種力量造成的移動(dòng)
A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; abrupt inclination:
沖動(dòng)：突然的心愿或欲望導(dǎo)致的未經(jīng)考慮的行動(dòng)和感受；突兀的傾向：
例句：
had an impulse to run away; an impulse of regret that made me hesitate; bought a hat on impulse.
有一種跑開的沖動(dòng)；突發(fā)的后悔之情令我猶豫不決；心血來潮買了一頂帽子

A motivating force or tendency:
本能：驅(qū)動(dòng)力或傾向：
例句：
.Respect for the liberty of others is not a natural impulse in most men.(Bertrand Russell)
.對(duì)大多數(shù)人來說，尊重他人的自由并不是一種自然的本能.(伯特蘭·羅素)

Electronics A surge of electrical power in one direction.
【電子學(xué)】 脈沖：電力的單向涌動(dòng)
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.
【物理學(xué)】 沖量，推進(jìn)力：力的平均值與它的作用時(shí)間相乘的結(jié)果。等于力在其作用時(shí)間段內(nèi)產(chǎn)生的動(dòng)量的變化
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.
【生理學(xué)】 神經(jīng)脈沖：信號(hào)沿著神經(jīng)纖維的電化性的傳播，在目標(biāo)組織上產(chǎn)生興奮的或抑制的反應(yīng)，如在肌肉或另一神經(jīng)上
adj.（形容詞）
Characterized by impulsiveness or acting on impulse:
沖動(dòng)的：以沖動(dòng)或即興行動(dòng)為特征的：
例句：
an impulse shopper; impulse buying.
即興的購(gòu)物者；即興購(gòu)物

來源：
Latin impulsus [from past participle of] impellere [to impel] * see impel
拉丁語(yǔ) impulsus [] 源自impellere的過去分詞 [驅(qū)使，迫使] *參見 impel