| a. | 1. | Urged or stimulated from within; naturally moved or impelled; imbued; animated; alive; quick; |
| n. | 1. | |
| 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. | |
| 2. | (Zool.) Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without thought of improvement in the method. | |
| 3. | A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; | |
| v. t. | 1. | To impress, as an animating power, or instinct. |
| Noun | 1. | instinct - inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli; "the spawning instinct in salmon"; "altruistic instincts in social animals" Synonyms: inherent aptitude |
| Adj. | 1. | instinct - (followed by `with')deeply filled or permeated; "imbued with the spirit of the Reformation"; "words instinct with love"; "it is replete with misery" Synonyms: replete |
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