impulse

冲动，一时的念头，突然地欲望

an impulse to do sth 指突然想做某事

Anna felt a sudden impulse to play some music.

Anna 突然觉得想放点音乐。

control/resist an impulse 就是指控制冲动

He struggled to resist the impulse to laugh.

他努力抑制住想笑的冲动。

on impulse 就是指凭一时冲动

He saw them get into the car and on an impulse he followed them.

他看见他们钻进汽车，一时冲动之下他跟了进去。

the creative impulse 创作欲望

当然也可以作形容词，心血来潮的，一时冲动的

an impulse buy 冲动购物

脉冲，神经冲动