different between impulsive vs unsteady

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impulsif, from Latin impulsivus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?p?ls?v/

Adjective

impulsive (comparative more impulsive, superlative most impulsive)

1. Having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent.

   • Poor men! poor papers! We and they / Do some impulsive force obey.

2. Actuated by impulse or by transient feelings; inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration.

   • my heart, impulsive and wayward

3. (mechanics) Acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous – said of forces.

Related terms

• impulse
• impulsion
• impulsively
• impulsiveness
• impulsor
• impulsory

Translations

References

• impulsive in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• impulsive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Noun

impulsive (plural impulsives)

1. That which impels or gives an impulse; an impelling agent.
   • 1613, Henry Wotton, letter to Edmund Bacon

     Notwithstanding all which Motives and impulsives , Sir Thomas Overbury refused to be sent abroad , with such terms

2. One whose behaviour or personality is characterized by being impulsive.

French

Adjective

impulsive

1. feminine singular of impulsif

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

impulsive

1. inflection of impulsiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Adjective

impulsive f pl

1. feminine plural of impulsivo

Latin

Adjective

impuls?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of impuls?vus

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

impulsive

1. definite singular/plural of impulsiv

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

impulsive

1. definite singular/plural of impulsiv

English

Etymology

From un- +? steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?st?di/
• Rhymes: -?di
• Hyphenation: un?steady

Adjective

unsteady (comparative unsteadier, superlative unsteadiest)

1. Not held firmly in position, physically unstable.

   • "Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day: […]"

2. Lacking regularity or uniformity.
3. Inconstant in purpose, or volatile in behavior.

Synonyms

• (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over): precarious, rickety, shaky; see also Thesaurus:rickety
• (lacking regularity or uniformity): chaotic, irregular, unstable; see also Thesaurus:unsteady

Antonyms

• steady

Derived terms

• unsteadily

Translations

Verb

unsteady (third-person singular simple present unsteadies, present participle unsteadying, simple past and past participle unsteadied)

1. To render unsteady, removing balance.

Anagrams

• Dauntsey, unstayed