impulse
gb/ˈɪmpʌls/ us/ˈɪmpʌls/
B1
English
~ 2600
hirtelen késztetés, impulzus, erőimpulzus, erőlökés
NOUN
B1
1
impulzus
B2
Usage pattern:
to act on [an impulse]
She bought the expensive dress on a sudden impulse.
Hirtelen ötlettől vezérelve megvette a drága ruhát.
On an impulse, he called his old friend after years of silence.
Hirtelen ötlettől vezérelve felhívta régi barátját, akivel évek óta nem beszélt.
Traveling to Paris was not planned; it was pure impulse.
He resisted the impulse to shout back at her.
I had an impulse to quit my job immediately.
Learner examples
I bought the shoes on impulse.
Hirtelen felindulásból vettem meg a cipőt.
He called her on impulse.
Hirtelen ötlettől vezérelve felhívta őt.
She had an impulse to run away.
I fought the impulse to eat more cake.
We decided to go out on impulse.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'impulse' with 'compulsion'; 'compulsion' often implies a psychological condition, while 'impulse' is simply a sudden desire.
Meaning
sudden urge to act
Collocations
act on impulse
|buy on impulse
|impulse decision
|resist an impulse
|sudden impulse
Synonyms
urge (A general strong desire, not necessarily sudden or unplanned.)
|
whim (A sudden idea or wish, often lighter and less intense than 'impulse'.)
Antonyms
restraint (The ability to control oneself and avoid acting on impulses.)
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A sudden strong feeling that makes you want to do something without thinking first.
A sudden strong and unplanned desire or wish to do something, often without considering the consequences.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
impulzus
B2
The nerve impulse travels from the brain to the muscles.
Az idegimpulzus az agyból az izmokhoz halad.
An electrical impulse triggered the device.
Egy elektromos impulzus működésbe hozta a készüléket.
Light impulses are used in optical communication.
The doctor measured the speed of nerve impulses.
A sudden impulse in the circuit caused it to fail.
Learner examples
The brain sends impulses to the body.
Az agy impulzusokat küld a testnek.
A nerve impulse moves very fast.
Az idegimpulzus nagyon gyorsan halad.
The light made an impulse in the sensor.
An electrical impulse started the motor.
Impulses travel along nerves.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'impulse' with 'pulse'; 'pulse' can mean a regular beat, but 'impulse' is usually one short burst.
Meaning
brief burst of energy or signal
Collocations
nerve impulse
|electrical impulse
|signal impulse
|light impulse
Synonyms
signal (A general term for transmitted information; may be longer-lasting than an impulse.)
|
pulse (Often refers to repeated signals, while 'impulse' is a single event.)
Antonyms
steady current (A continuous flow of energy, unlike a short burst.)
Themes
science
|technology
|medicine
Definition
A short, quick movement of electricity or signal in the body or a device.
A short burst of electrical energy, nerve activity, or other measurable force that travels through a system.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
erőimpulzus
C1
erőlökés
C1
The bat gave the ball an impulse that sent it flying.
Az ütő olyan erőimpulzust adott a labdának, hogy az elrepült.
Impulse is calculated as force multiplied by time.
Az erőimpulzust az erő és az idő szorzataként számítjuk ki.
A large impulse can stop a moving object instantly.
Engineers measured the impulse generated by the engine.
The collision created an impulse that damaged the structure.
Learner examples
The kick gave an impulse to the ball.
A rúgás erőimpulzust adott a labdának.
Impulse changes how fast something moves.
Az erőimpulzus megváltoztatja egy tárgy sebességét.
We can find impulse using force and time.
A big impulse can stop a car quickly.
The bat gave an impulse to the ball.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with everyday 'impulse' meaning desire; in physics it has no emotional meaning.
Meaning
change in momentum over time
Collocations
mechanical impulse
|impulse force
|impulse calculation
Synonyms
momentum change (Describes the result of an impulse rather than the action itself.)
Antonyms
constant motion (No change in momentum occurs.)
Themes
science
|physics
Definition
In science, when a force acts for some time and changes how fast something moves.
In physics, the product of force and the time during which it acts, resulting in a change in momentum.
Grammar
Dictionary form
impulse
IPA
GB/ˈɪmpʌls/
US/ˈɪmpʌls/
Syllables & stress
im - pulse (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (im)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: impulse
- Plural: impulse, impulses
Word family
Forms
impulses
noun
Core family
impulsive
adjective B2
impulsively
adverb
Related words
impulsiveness
noun
Advanced or less common
impulsivity
noun
impel
verb
Expressions
act on impulse
1/ˈækt ˈɔn ˈɪmpʌls/
fixed phrase
do something without planning
To do something suddenly because you feel like it, without thinking about it first.
Examples
- She acted on impulse and booked a ticket to Rome.
- He often acts on impulse when shopping.
act on impulse
1/ˈækt ˈɔn ˈɪmpʌls/
fixed phrase
do something suddenly
To act on impulse means to do something without thinking first.
Examples
- He tends to act on impulse when he’s angry.
- Try not to act on impulse—sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
- If you act on impulse, you may miss important details.
Learner examples
- I acted on impulse and apologized.
buy on impulse
1/bˈaɪ ˈɔn ˈɪmpʌls/
fixed phrase
make an unplanned purchase
To buy something suddenly without planning or thinking about it carefully.
Examples
- I bought this jacket on impulse because it was on sale.
- He tends to buy on impulse when he is stressed.
resist the impulse
1/ɹɪzˈɪst ðə ˈɪmpʌls/
fixed phrase
stop yourself from acting suddenly
To stop yourself from doing something you suddenly want to do without thinking first.
Examples
- She resisted the impulse to check her phone during dinner.
- I had to resist the impulse to laugh.