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instinct
1[in-stingkt]
noun
an inborn pattern of activity or tendency to action common to a given biological species.
a natural or innate impulse, inclination, or tendency.
a natural aptitude or gift.
an instinct for making money.
Synonyms: , , ,natural intuitive power.
instinct
2[in-stingkt]
adjective
filled or infused with some animating principle (usually followed bywith ).
instinct with life.
Obsolete.animated by some inner force.
instinct
noun
the innate capacity of an animal to respond to a given stimulus in a relatively fixed way
inborn intuitive power
a natural and apparently innate aptitude
adjective
rare
animated or impelled (by)
imbued or infused (with)
instinct
An inherited tendency of an organism to behave in a certain way, usually in reaction to its environment and for the purpose of fulfilling a specific need. The development and performance of instinctive behavior does not depend upon the specific details of an individual's learning experiences. Instead, instinctive behavior develops in the same way for all individuals of the same species or of the same sex of a species. For example, birds will build the form of nest typical of their species although they may never have seen such a nest being built before. Some butterfly species undertake long migrations to wintering grounds that they have never seen. Behavior in animals often reflects the influence of a combination of instinct and learning. The basic song pattern of many bird species is inherited, but it is often refined by learning from other members of the species. Dogs that naturally seek to gather animals such as sheep or cattle into a group are said to have a herding instinct, but the effective use of this instinct by the dog also requires learning on the dog's part. Instinct, as opposed to reflex, is usually used of inherited behavior patterns that are more complex or sometimes involve a degree of interaction with learning processes.
instinct
Behavior that is not learned but passed between generations by heredity.
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of instinct1
Origin of instinct2
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of instinct1
Example Sentences
But of course, being a progressive, I am expected to set aside my instincts and assume the average American is too stupid or bigoted or poisoned by right-wing propaganda to see what I see.
Olsen: You mentioned instinct and how you have to learn to trust your gut working with someone like Jeremy, saying yes to a project.
According to the complaint, in an interview with a Border Patrol agent later, Gomez said he ran away from the agents on instinct when he saw the “cop car.”
It was an instinct that made his life as full and exciting as his thrillers.
Patterson said that the nursing home fiasco and its subsequent cover-up point to one of Cuomo’s core political instincts: “Don’t ever admit to anything.”
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