- Instinct
- Instinct In"stinct ([i^]n"st[i^][ng]kt), n. [L. instinctus
instigation, impulse, fr. instinguere to instigate: cf. F.
instinct. See {Instinct}, a.]
[1913 Webster]
1. 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.
[1913 Webster]
An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and independent of instructions. --Paley. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge. --Sir W. Hamilton. [1913 Webster]
By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing dangers. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. (Zo["o]l.) Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without thought of improvement in the method. [1913 Webster]
The resemblance between what originally was a habit, and an instinct becomes so close as not to be distinguished. --Darwin. [1913 Webster]
3. A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
