Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pulses, present participle pulsing, past tense, past participle pulsed
1. countable noun [usually singular]
Your pulse is the regular beating of blood through your body, which you can feel when you touch particular parts of your body, especially your wrist.
Mahoney's pulse was racing, and he felt confused.
2. countable noun
In music, a pulse is a regular beat, which is often produced by a drum.
...the repetitive pulse of the music. [+ of]
Synonyms: beat, rhythm, vibration, beating More Synonyms of pulse
3. countable noun
A pulseof electrical current, light, or sound is a temporary increase in its level.
The switch works by passing a pulse of current between the tip and the surface. [+ of]
4. singular noun
If you refer to the pulse of a group in society, you mean the ideas, opinions, or feelings they have at a particular time.
I love the way he is so absolutely in tune with the pulse of his audience. [+ of]
5. verb
If something pulses, it moves, appears, or makes a sound with a strong regular rhythm.
His temples pulsed a little, threatening a headache. [VERB]
It was a slow, pulsing rhythm that seemed to sway languidly in the air. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: beat, tick, throb, vibrate More Synonyms of pulse
6. plural noun
Some seeds which can be cooked and eaten are called pulses, for example peas, beans, and lentils.
7.
See finger on the pulse
8.
See take someone's pulse/feel someone's pulse
pulse in British English1
(pʌls)
noun
1. physiology
a.
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
b.
a single pulsation of the heart or arteries
2. physics, electronics
a.
a transient sharp change in voltage, current, or some other quantity normally constant in a system
b.
one of a series of such transient disturbances, usually recurring at regular intervals and having a characteristic geometric shape
c.
(as modifier)
a pulse generator
Less common name: impulse
3.
a.
a recurrent rhythmic series of beats, waves, vibrations, etc
b.
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. keep one's finger on the pulse
verb
7. (intransitive)
to beat, throb, or vibrate
8. (transitive)
to provide an electronic pulse to operate (a slide projector)
Derived forms
pulseless (ˈpulseless)
adjective
pulselessness (ˈpulselessness)
noun
Word origin
C14 pous, from Latin pulsus a beating, from pellere to beat
pulse in British English2
(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
Word origin
C13 pols, from Old French, from Latin puls pottage of pulse
pulse in American English1
(pʌls)
noun
1.
the regular beating in the arteries, caused by the contractions of the heart
2.
any beat, signal, vibration, etc. that is regular or rhythmical
3.
the perceptible underlying feelings of the public or of a particular group
4.
a variation, characterized by a rise, limited duration, and decline, of a quantity whose value normally is constant
; specif.,
a. Electricity
a brief surge of voltage or current
b. Radio
a very short burst of electromagnetic waves
verb intransitiveWord forms: pulsed or ˈpulsing
5.
to pulsate; throb
verb transitive
6.
to cause to pulsate
7.
to drive (an engine, etc.) by pulses
8. Electricity
to apply pulses to
9. Radio
to modify (an electromagnetic wave) by means of pulses
Derived forms
pulser (ˈpulser)
noun
Word origin
ME pous < OFr < L pulsus (venarum), beating (of the veins) < pulsus, pp. of pellere, to beat: see felt1
pulse in American English2
(pʌls)
noun
1.
the edible seeds of peas, beans, lentils, and similar plants having pods
2.
any leguminous plant
Word origin
ME pous < OFr pouls < L puls (gen. pultis), a pottage made of meal or pulse, prob. < Gr poltos < IE base *pel-, dust, meal > L pollen, pulvis
More idioms containing
pulse
have your finger on the pulse
Examples of 'pulse' in a sentence
pulse
But seeing her and feeling her pulse gave us hope.
The Sun (2016)
It hardly sets pulses racing, though.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
By pulsing compressed air through copper pipes, it was found that a clock could be jarred from a distance and so set.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But prolonged attacks of a racing or irregular pulse can mean ticker trouble, especially if you feel unwell, too.
The Sun (2016)
She went into cardiac arrest 15 minutes before the plane landed and paramedics waiting on the ground battled for another 15 minutes to get a pulse.
The Sun (2016)
The researchers realised that their equipment was detecting minute frequency changes resulting from the pulsing of hearts.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You may feel their intellectual pulse from this.
Christopher Hibbert DISRAELI: A Personal History (2004)
The unremitting regularity of the electronic pulses allowed little natural ebb and flow.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He said he could feel the body was all wet with very little pulse.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This tasty drink sends my pulse racing.
The Sun (2014)
Politicians are conducting polls constantly to take the pulse of the people.
Christianity Today (2000)
Plus a daily portion each of vegetables and pulses.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
These signals were fed through software that transmitted them as electrical pulses via wires.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Music and sport come together in a collaboration that will get pulses racing.
The Sun (2014)
Two simple indicators are your pulse and blood pressure.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
Learn how to cook vegetables and discover the protein in pulses and bean curd.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The air pulses with lightning and smoke.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She could feel the pulsing of a headache between her brows.
Paige, Frances The Glasgow Girls (1994)
This need not be a difficult process provided beans and pulses are combined with whole grains to form a complete protein.
MacEoin, Beth Healthy By Nature (1994)
It is the quickening of a city 's pulse.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For others, it echoes the rhythm and pulse of a heartbeat.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It was his blood pulsing around his body; it was the whistling of his nerves.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
A rhythmic energy pulses through these pictures.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's the click of a key in the front door and the pulse of unfamiliar music from upstairs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Three single pulses could produce a false alarm, but the likelihood of nine regular pulses three times was remote.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You can feel if the patient is clammy and if the pulse is regular or not - you cannot get that from a machine.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
These steps are triggered by a control signal sent to the motor, each single pulse of information makes the motor turn one step at a time.
Chapman, C. & Horsley, M. & Small, E. Technology Basic Facts (1990)
While his performance is electric, it is they as much as he who are the show's pulsing heart.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
pulse
British English: pulse /pʌls/ NOUN
Your pulse is the regular beating of blood through your body, which you can feel, for example, at your wrist or neck.
His pulse raced, and he felt scared.
American English: pulse
Arabic: نَبْضَة
Brazilian Portuguese: pulso
Chinese: 脉搏
Croatian: puls
Czech: tep
Danish: puls
Dutch: polsslag
European Spanish: pulso
Finnish: syke
French: pouls
German: Puls
Greek: σφυγμός
Italian: battito cardiaco
Japanese: 脈拍
Korean: 맥박
Norwegian: puls
Polish: puls
European Portuguese: pulso
Romanian: puls
Russian: пульс
Latin American Spanish: pulso
Swedish: puls
Thai: ชีพจร
Turkish: nabız
Ukrainian: пульс
Vietnamese: mạch
British English: pulse VERB
If something pulses, it moves, appears, or makes a sound with a strong regular rhythm.
His temples pulsed a little, threatening a headache.
American English: pulse
Brazilian Portuguese: pulsar
Chinese: 有节奏地跳动
European Spanish: latir
French: battre
German: pulsieren
Italian: pulsare
Japanese: 鼓動する
Korean: 고동치다
European Portuguese: pulsar
Latin American Spanish: latir
All related terms of 'pulse'
pulse radar
a radar system using pulse modulation
pulse rate
the rate at which a person's heart beats , measured at a pulse point
pulse modulation
a type of modulation in which a train of pulses is used as the carrier wave , one or more of its parameters , such as amplitude , being modulated or modified in order to carry information
electromagnetic pulse
a surge of electromagnetic radiation , esp one resulting from a nuclear explosion , which can disrupt electronic devices and, occasionally , larger structures and equipment
pulsejet engine
a type of ramjet engine in which air is admitted through movable vanes that are closed by the pressure resulting from each intermittent explosion of the fuel in the combustion chamber , thus causing a pulsating thrust
pulse code modulation
a form of pulse modulation in which the information is carried by coded groups of pulses
pulse height analyser
a multichannel analyser that sorts pulses into selected amplitude ranges
pulse height analyzer
an instrument that records or counts an electrical pulse if its amplitude falls within specified limits: used in nuclear physics research for the determination of energy spectra of nuclear radiations
finger on the pulse
If you have your finger on the pulse of something, you know all the latest opinions or developments concerning it.
take someone's pulse/feel someone's pulse
When someone takes your pulse or feels your pulse , they find out how quickly your heart is beating by feeling the pulse in your wrist .
have your finger on the pulse
to know all the latest information about something or have a good understanding of how it works
keep one's finger on the pulse
to be well-informed about current events
pcm
pcm is used in advertisements for housing , when indicating how much the rent will be. pcm is a written abbreviation for 'per calendar month '.
Chinese translation of 'pulse'
pulse
(pʌls)
n(c)
(Anat) 脉(脈)搏 (màibó) (下, xià)
(= rhythm) 节(節)奏 (jiézòu)
(Tech) 脉(脈)冲(衝) (màichōng)
vi
有节(節)奏地跳动(動) (yǒu jiézòu de tiàodòng)
to take or feel sb's pulse给(給)某人诊(診)脉(脈) (gěi mǒurén zhěnmài)
to have one's finger on the pulse (of sth)了解(某物)最新动(動)态(態) (liǎojiě (mǒuwù) zuì xīn dòngtài)
Derived Forms
pulsesn pl (Culin) 豆子 (dòuzi)
(noun)
Definition
a regular beat or vibration
the repetitive pulse of the music
Synonyms
beat
He could hear the beat of his heart.
rhythm
His music fused the rhythms of jazz and classical music.
vibration
They heard a distant low vibration in the distance.
beating
High in the stands there came the beating of a drum.
stroke
throb
His head jerked up at the throb of the engine.
throbbing
oscillation
pulsation
(verb)
Definition
to beat, throb, or vibrate
Her feet pulsed with pain.
Synonyms
beat
I felt my heart beat faster.
tick
throb
His head throbbed.
vibrate
The noise vibrated through the whole house.
pulsate
The racing beat of her heart pulsated under my fingertips.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of beating
High in the stands there came the beating of a drum.
Synonyms
throb,
pounding,
pumping,
pulse,
thumping,
vibration,
pulsating,
palpitation,
pulsation
in the sense of pulsate
Definition
to expand and contract rhythmically, like a heartbeat
The racing beat of her heart pulsated under my fingertips.
Synonyms
throb,
pound,
beat,
hammer,
pulse,
tick,
thump,
quiver,
vibrate,
thud,
palpitate
in the sense of rhythm
Definition
the arrangement of the durations of and stress on the notes of a piece of music, usually laid out in regular groups (bars) of beats
His music fused the rhythms of jazz and classical music.
Synonyms
beat,
swing,
accent,
pulse,
tempo,
cadence,
lilt
Synonyms of 'pulse'
pulse
Explore 'pulse' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of throb
Definition
the act or sensation of throbbing
His head jerked up at the throb of the engine.
Synonyms
vibration,
pulse,
throbbing,
resonance,
reverberation,
judder (informal),
pulsation
in the sense of throb
Definition
to pulsate or beat repeatedly, esp. with abnormally strong force
His head throbbed.
Synonyms
pulsate,
pound,
beat,
pulse,
thump,
palpitate
in the sense of vibrate
Definition
to have or produce a quivering or echoing sound
The noise vibrated through the whole house.
Synonyms
throb,
pulse,
resonate,
pulsate,
reverberate
in the sense of vibration
Definition
a vibrating
They heard a distant low vibration in the distance.