pulse
/pʌls/ (bre, ipa) · /pʌls/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpəls/ (ame, mw)
pulse — noun
- pulsesingular
- pulsesplural
1. the regular movement that you can feel in your wrist or neck each time your hear
the regular movement that you can feel in your wrist or neck each time your heart pushes blood through your body
The nurse held Rohan's wrist and counted his pulse for fifteen seconds.
take/feel + pulse for measuring heart rate
After climbing three flights of stairs, Lara's pulse was racing.
pulse + verb for speed of heartbeat
A normal resting pulse for an adult is between sixty and one hundred beats per minute.
The paramedic checked the driver's pulse and found it was very weak.
Yael could feel her own pulse throbbing in her ears after the loud concert.
文法句型
sb's pulse
take/feel/check + pulse
用法筆記
Frequently used with possessive adjectives (my, his, her) or the definite article: 'the patient's pulse'. The phrase 'take/feel someone's pulse' is a common fixed expression.
常見錯誤
2. the act of pressing gently on someone's wrist or neck to feel how many times the
the act of pressing gently on someone's wrist or neck to feel how many times their heart beats in a minute, usually done by a doctor or nurse
The doctor took Christopher's pulse before asking him to open his mouth.
take + pulse as a medical check
Mira learned how to check a pulse by placing two fingers on the inside of her classmate's wrist.
check + pulse as a learned skill
During the first-aid class, every student had to practise taking a pulse on the person next to them.
Femi checked his grandmother's pulse every morning and wrote the number in a small notebook.
The trainer took Walid's pulse before and after the run to see how quickly his heart recovered.
文法句型
take + sb's + pulse
check + pulse
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'take someone's pulse' or 'check someone's pulse'. The noun is never used alone with this meaning.
常見錯誤
3. a very brief, repeated burst of energy that follows a repeating pattern — for ex
a very brief, repeated burst of energy that follows a repeating pattern — for example, a quick flash of light, a short loud tone, or a momentary flow of electric current
The lighthouse sent out a pulse of light every five seconds to guide ships.
pulse + of + light / sound / energy
Each pulse from the radar scanner lasts only a few millionths of a second.
The machine produces short pulses of sound that bounce off objects underwater.
Dewi adjusted the laser so that it fired pulses at regular intervals across the metal surface.
A pulse of electricity traveled along the wire and activated the alarm.
文法句型
pulse + of + noun (light/sound/energy)
用法筆記
Common in scientific and technical contexts (physics, electronics, medicine). The plural 'pulses' is used when referring to a series of such bursts.
常見錯誤
4. a kitchen machine setting that makes the blade spin in very short starts and sto
a kitchen machine setting that makes the blade spin in very short starts and stops so that food gets chopped or mixed without being turned into a paste
Use the pulse setting to chop the nuts so they stay crunchy, not powdery.
use/use the pulse setting on a food processor
Heather pressed the pulse button three times to break the biscuits into small pieces for the cheesecake base.
The recipe says to use short pulses rather than running the machine continuously.
Élise gave the onions a few quick pulses until they were finely chopped.
Min held the button down in short pulses so the herbs would not turn into a liquid.
- burst mode
also used for blenders and food processors, but less common
文法句型
use + pulse
pulse + setting/button
用法筆記
This sense is specific to kitchen appliances (food processors, blenders). It describes a feature, not the rate of a heartbeat.
常見錯誤
5. the dry seeds of legume plants such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils, whic
the dry seeds of legume plants such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils, which people soak and cook to make meals
Pulses like lentils and chickpeas are a cheap source of protein for many families.
pulses as food category — lentils, chickpeas, beans
The nutritionist told Eve that eating more pulses could lower her cholesterol.
India grows more pulses than any other country in the world.
Dried pulses need to be soaked in water for several hours before cooking.
The soup was made from a mix of pulses including red beans, green lentils, and yellow split peas.
- legumes
broader term that includes fresh peas and pods, not just dried seeds
文法句型
pulses as food category
用法筆記
This is a technical or agricultural category. In everyday conversation, people tend to name specific types (beans, lentils) rather than saying 'pulses'.
常見錯誤
pulse — verb
- pulsepresent simple I / you / we / they
- pulses3rd person singular
- pulsing-ing form
- pulsedpast simple
1. if a part of your body or a sound pulses, it moves, beats, or vibrates with a st
if a part of your body or a sound pulses, it moves, beats, or vibrates with a strong, steady, repeating rhythm
Walid's heart pulsed wildly as he waited for the exam results to be posted.
sb's heart pulses [adverb] describing intensity
The music pulsed through the floor so hard that the glasses on the table shook.
Blood pulsed in Femi's temples after he sprinted to catch the bus.
A faint light pulsed from the screen of a phone that had been left on the chair.
The dancer's body pulsed with energy as she moved across the stage to the drum beat.
- stop
the heart stops pulsing when it ceases to beat
文法句型
sb's heart/body + pulses
pulse + with + noun
用法筆記
Intransitive only — you cannot 'pulse something'. For the action of operating a food processor in bursts, use verb sense 2 below.
常見錯誤
2. to operate a food processor or blender in very short bursts instead of letting i
to operate a food processor or blender in very short bursts instead of letting it run continuously, so that the ingredients are chopped or mixed in a controlled way
Pulse the onions a few times until they are chopped into small pieces.
Pulse + object + a few times
Élise pulsed the almonds briefly so the cake crust would have some texture.
Instead of blending the soup smooth, the recipe says to pulse it once or twice for a chunky result.
The cook pulsed the garlic and ginger together before adding the oil.
If you pulse the dough too long, it will become tough instead of light and flaky.
- chop
broader term; pulsing is a specific method of operating a machine to achieve chopping
文法句型
pulse + object + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Common in cooking instructions on recipe websites and in cookbooks. The subject is usually a person (the cook), and the object is the food ingredient.