different between impulse vs peculiarity

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impulser, from Latin impulsus.

For spelling, as in pulse, the -e (on -lse) is so the end is pronounced /ls/, rather than /lz/ as in pulls, and does not change the vowel (‘u’). Compare else, false, convulse.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??mp?ls/
• Hyphenation: im?pulse

Noun

impulse (plural impulses)

1. A thrust; a push; a sudden force that impels.
   • c. 1715-1716, Samuel Clarke, letter to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

     All spontaneous animal motion is performed by mechanical impulse.

2. A wish or urge, particularly a sudden one prompting action.
   • 1692?, John Dryden, Sylvae (translations), Preface

     These were my natural impulses for the undertaking.
3. (physics) The integral of force over time.

   The total impulse from the impact will depend on the kinetic energy of the projectile.

Derived terms

• impulse buy
• nerve impulse
• on impulse

Related terms

• impel
• impulsion
• impulsive
• impulsively
• impulsiveness
• impulsivity
• impulsor
• pulse

Translations

Verb

impulse (third-person singular simple present impulses, present participle impulsing, simple past and past participle impulsed)

1. (obsolete) To impel; to incite.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)

References

• impulse in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• impulse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “impulse”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

French

Pronunciation

• Homophones: impulsent, impulses

Verb

impulse

1. first-person singular present indicative of impulser
2. third-person singular present indicative of impulser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of impulser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of impulser
5. second-person singular imperative of impulser

Italian

Verb

impulse

1. third-person singular past historic of impellere

Latin

Participle

impulse

1. vocative masculine singular of impulsus

Spanish

Noun

impulse m (plural impulses)

1. push, shove

Verb

impulse

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of impulsar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of impulsar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of impulsar.

English

Etymology

peculiar +? -ity

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /p??kjuli????ti/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p??kju?li?æ??ti/
• Rhymes: -æ??ti
• Hyphenation: pe?cu?li?ar?i?ty

Noun

peculiarity (countable and uncountable, plural peculiarities)

1. The quality or state of being peculiar; individuality; singularity.

   The peculiarity of meeting six people on a usually deserted trail only struck me later on.

2. That which is peculiar; a special and distinctive characteristic or habit; particularity.
   • 1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette, Chapter 4:

     I had often heard of Miss Marchmont, and of her peculiarities (she had the character of being very eccentric), but till now had never seen her.

   • 1870, Louisa May Alcott, quoted in 2011, Daniel Shealy, Little Women Abroad: The Alcott Sisters' Letters from Europe, 1870-1871

     I thought Alice and H. J. P. would have fainted at the full spectacle; but we are fast getting used to the little peculiarities of foreigners and I trust they will forgive us many sins in return.

   • 1873, Specifications and Drawings of Patents Issued from the U.S. Patent Office

     The peculiarity of this invention consists in a means for varying the angle at which the plaiting-blade is held in the plaiter without varying the position of the entire instrument upon the sewing-machine.

3. Exclusive possession or right.

Translations