1. An inborn pattern of behavior that is characteristic of a species and is often a response to specific environmental stimuli: the spawning instinct in salmon; altruistic instincts in social animals.
2. A powerful motivation or impulse.
3. An innate capability or aptitude: an instinct for tact and diplomacy.
1. Deeply filled or imbued: words instinct with love.
2. Obsolete. Impelled from within.
instinct
• Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished.
• An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and independent of instructions. --Paley.
• An instinct is a blind tendency to some mode of action, independent of any consideration, on the part of the agent, of the end to which the action leads. --Whately.
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge. --Sir W. Hamilton.
• By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing dangers. --Shak.
• The natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without of improvement in the method.
• The resemblance between what originally was a habit, and an instinct becomes so close as not to be distinguished. --Darwin.
• A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.
2. A powerful motivation or impulse.
3. An innate capability or aptitude: an instinct for tact and diplomacy.
1. Deeply filled or imbued: words instinct with love.
2. Obsolete. Impelled from within.
instinct
• Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished.
• An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and independent of instructions. --Paley.
• An instinct is a blind tendency to some mode of action, independent of any consideration, on the part of the agent, of the end to which the action leads. --Whately.
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge. --Sir W. Hamilton.
• By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing dangers. --Shak.
• The natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without of improvement in the method.
• The resemblance between what originally was a habit, and an instinct becomes so close as not to be distinguished. --Darwin.
• A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.
it is the survival instinct of the body to react in certain ways when faced with certain situations.... eg. sexual drive to reproduce and ensure the continued survival of the species.
by ESP master March 31, 2004
Aside from the well written definition above, it is also the males instinct to quickly cover ones gonads if in danger.
As I walked to math class, I saw a bird flying at mid body level, not taking any chances, I quickly covered my gonads with one hand and quickly attempted to play it off as if nothing had happened.
by White widow April 14, 2005
One of three Pokemon Go teams, up until now (08/10/2016) it has been the underdog and least popular, after Team Mystic and Team Valor. Team Instinct's color is yellow.
by Imarru August 11, 2016
inner sense of self-preservation inherent within creatures in the animal kingdom; sense of right and wrong for human beings that seems to come naturally; natural intuition to respond, sometimes suddenly, to sensory input; initial strong feelings experienced as new information is processed.
The lion is feared throughout the animal kingdom because of its predatory instincts.
My senses aren't tingling at all -- my instincts have failed humanity!
Guy 1: My instincts tell me I should NOT be doing this, but I gotta be strong!
Guy 2: Dude, you're only bench-pressing like 45 pounds!
If teen-aged males trusted their instincts more, they wouldn't say the (too often) famous last words: "Hey, watch THIS!"
My senses aren't tingling at all -- my instincts have failed humanity!
Guy 1: My instincts tell me I should NOT be doing this, but I gotta be strong!
Guy 2: Dude, you're only bench-pressing like 45 pounds!
If teen-aged males trusted their instincts more, they wouldn't say the (too often) famous last words: "Hey, watch THIS!"
by canuck4Jesus February 25, 2010
The little boy instinctively began checking the cupboards for food. He knew anything left in the fridge would be spoiled.
by vreebaby November 24, 2013
by STONE,D. December 7, 2003
by Absolutely.Average April 10, 2019