appulse
[ uh-puhls ]
/ əˈpʌls /
noun
energetic motion toward a point.
the act of striking against something.
Astronomy. the approach or occurrence of conjunction between two celestial bodies.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON THESE WORDS FROM BROWN GIRL DREAMING!
Visualize yourself passing this quiz on words from Jacqueline Woodson’s exquisite verse novel “Brown Girl Dreaming,” and then take the quiz to prove you can do it! (Because you can.)
Question 1 of 10
What does “barren” mean?
Origin of appulse
1620–30; <Latin appulsus driven to, landed (past participle of appellere), equivalent to ap-ap-1 + pul- (variant stem of pellere to drive, push) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM appulse
ap·pul·sive, adjectiveap·pul·sive·ly, adverbWords nearby appulse
approximately, approximation, approximation suture, appt., apptd., appulse, appurtenance, appurtenant, APR, APRA, apragmatism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for appulse
Appulse, ap-puls′, n. a striking against: the approach of a planet to a conjunction with the sun or a star.
May not the effect be mechanical, the appulse of the air separating the flame from the wick.
The Life of Sir Humphrey Davy, Bart. LL.D., Volume 2 (of 2)|John Ayrton ParisEvery appulse of life against matter means an added push in the direction of spiritualization.
The Mystery of Space|Robert T. BrowneThe appulse or near approach is but one of the methods by which the spiral nebul may have come into existence.
Astronomy|David Todd
British Dictionary definitions for appulse
appulse
/ (əˈpʌls) /
noun
a very close approach of two celestial bodies so that they are in conjunction but no eclipse or occultation occurs
Derived forms of appulse
appulsive, adjectiveappulsively, adverbWord Origin for appulse
C17: from Latin appulsus brought near, from appellere to drive towards, from pellere to drive
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012