a. | 1. | |
1. | Having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent. | |
2. | Actuated by impulse or by transient feelings. | |
3. | (Mech.) Acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous; - said of forces. | |
n. | 1. | That which impels or gives an impulse; an impelling agent. |
Adj. | 1. | impulsive - proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus; "an impulsive gesture of affection" Synonyms: unprompted |
2. | impulsive - without forethought; "letting him borrow her car was an impulsive act that she immediately regretted" | |
3. | impulsive - having the power of driving or impelling; "a driving personal ambition"; "the driving force was his innate enthusiasm"; "an impulsive force" Synonyms: driving | |
4. | impulsive - determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; "a capricious refusal"; "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious"; "the victim of whimsical persecutions" Synonyms: whimsical, capricious | |
5. | impulsive - characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; "a hotheaded decision"; "liable to such impulsive acts as hugging strangers"; "an impetuous display of spending and gambling"; "madcap escapades"; (`brainish' is archaic) |