Instinct \In"stinct\, n. [L. instinctus instigation, impulse,
fr. instinguere to instigate: cf. F. instinct. See
Instinct, a.]
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.
An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and
independent of instructions. --Paley.
An instinct is a blind tendency to some mode of
action, independent of any consideration, on the
part of the agent, of the end to which the action
leads. --Whately.
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and
ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge.
--Sir W.
Hamilton.
By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing
dangers. --Shak.
2. (Zo["o]l.) Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by
which an animal is guided to the performance of any
action, without of improvement in the method.
The resemblance between what originally was a habit,
and an instinct becomes so close as not to be
distinguished. --Darwin.
3. A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an
instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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