on the spur of the moment

Idioms  

1. Impulsively, without prior preparation, as in He decided to join a tour to England on the spur of the moment. This expression alludes to the goading action of a spur to a horse. [Late 1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on the spur of the moment

This second group had no boat of their own, and appeared, to us, to be acting on the spur of the moment, presumably hoping to catch a ride on the other group's inflatable.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2024

All the lights were on for maintenance, so on the spur of the moment he decided to walk inside and look around.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2023

Many years ago, my husband and I decided on the spur of the moment to see a Broadway show.

From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2021

Dear Readers: Need a soap dish on the spur of the moment?

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2021

Sometimes, in the course of the modulation of relations between animals, there are inventions that seem to have been thought up on the spur of the moment, like propositions to be submitted for possible evolution.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas