pulse

I. noun Etymology: Middle English puls, probably from Anglo-French puuiz gruel, from Latin pult-, puls, probably from Greek poltos Date: 13th century the edible seeds of various crops (as peas, beans, or lentils) of the legume family; also a plant yielding pulse II. noun Etymology: Middle English puls, from Anglo-French, from Latin pulsus, literally, beating, from pellere to drive, push, beat — more at felt Date: 14th century 1. a. the regular expansion of an artery caused by the ejection of blood into the arterial system by the contractions of the heart b. the palpable beat resulting from such pulse as detected in a superficial artery; also the number of individual beats in a specified time period (as one minute) <

a resting pulse of 70

> 2. a. underlying sentiment or opinion or an indication of it b. vitality 3. a. rhythmical beating, vibrating, or sounding b. beat, throb 4. a. a transient variation of a quantity (as electric current or voltage) whose value is normally constant b. (1) an electromagnetic wave or modulation thereof of brief duration (2) a brief disturbance of pressure in a medium; especially a sound wave or short train of sound waves 5. a dose of a substance especially when applied over a short period of time <

pulses of intravenous methylprednisolone

> III. verb (pulsed; pulsing) Date: 15th century intransitive verb to exhibit a pulse or pulsation ; throb transitive verb 1. to drive by or as if by a pulsation 2. to cause to pulsate 3. a. to produce or modulate (as electromagnetic waves) in the form of pulses <

pulsed waves

> b. to cause (an apparatus) to produce pulses • pulser noun