pulse

¹

[puhls]

noun

1. the regular throbbing of the arteries, caused by the successive contractions of the heart, especially as may be felt at an artery, as at the wrist.

2. a single pulsation, or beat or throb, of the arteries or heart.

3. the rhythmic recurrence of strokes, vibrations, or undulations.

4. a single stroke, vibration, or undulation.

5. Electricity.,  a momentary, sudden fluctuation in an electrical quantity, as in voltage or current.

6. Physics.,  a single, abrupt emission of particles or radiation.

7. a throb of life, emotion, etc.

8. vitality.

9. the general attitude, sentiment, preference, etc., as of the public.

verb (used without object)

pulsed, pulsing 

1. to beat or throb; pulsate.

2. to beat, vibrate, or undulate.

3. Physics.,  to emit particles or radiation periodically in short bursts.

verb (used with object)

pulsed, pulsing 

1. to cause to pulse.

2. Medicine/Medical.,  to administer (medication) in interrupted, often concentrated dosages to avoid unwanted side effects.

pulse

²

[puhls]

noun

1. the edible seeds of certain leguminous plants, as peas, beans, or lentils.

2. a plant producing such seeds.

pulse

¹

/ pʌls /

noun

1. physiol

   1. the rhythmic contraction and expansion of an artery at each beat of the heart, often discernible to the touch at points such as the wrists

   2. a single pulsation of the heart or arteries

2. physics electronics

   1. a transient sharp change in voltage, current, or some other quantity normally constant in a system

   2. one of a series of such transient disturbances, usually recurring at regular intervals and having a characteristic geometric shape

   3. Less common name: impulse. ( as modifier )

      a pulse generator

3. 1. a recurrent rhythmic series of beats, waves, vibrations, etc

   2. any single beat, wave, etc, in such a series

4. bustle, vitality, or excitement

   the pulse of a city

5. the feelings or thoughts of a group or society as they can be measured

   the pulse of the voters

6. to be well-informed about current events

verb

1. (intr) to beat, throb, or vibrate

2. (tr) to provide an electronic pulse to operate (a slide projector)

pulse

²

/ pʌls /

noun

1. the edible seeds of any of several leguminous plants, such as peas, beans, and lentils

2. the plant producing any of these seeds

pulse

1. The rhythmic expansion and contraction of the arteries as blood is pumped through them by the heart. The pulse can be felt at several parts of the body, as over the carotid and radial arteries.

2. A dose of a medication or other substance given over a short period of time, usually repetitively.

3. 1. A brief sudden change in a normally constant quantity, such as an electric current or field.

   2. Any of a series of intermittent occurrences characterized by a brief sudden change in a quantity.

Other Word Forms

• pulseless adjective
• unpulsing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulse¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pous(e), puls(e), from Old French pous, pulse, and Latin pulsus “a beat, stroke, throb,” noun use of past participle of pellere “to push, drive, strike”

Origin of pulse²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English puls, pols, from Old French pous, pouls, pols, from Latin puls “porridge; thick pap of meal”; poultice

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulse¹

C14 pous, from Latin pulsus a beating, from pellere to beat

Origin of pulse²

C13 pols, from Old French, from Latin puls pottage of pulse

Idioms and Phrases

see take the pulse of.

Example Sentences

Symptoms of heat exhaustion are: a high body temperature over 103 degrees; a fast, strong pulse; damp skin, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and fainting.

From Los Angeles Times

“At some point that glass shatters with the heat and pulsing flame, and then you’ve got pandemonium.”

From Los Angeles Times

Charlotte, 25, is allergic to all pulses - including peas, chickpeas and lentils.

From BBC

"If farmers replace rice or wheat cultivation with maize, that would be sustainable because we have enough surplus of these crops. But we need other crops like oilseeds and pulses too," Ms Natarajan said.

From BBC

"You cannot afford to take your finger off pulse for one minute in fashion."

From BBC

Related Words

• vibration