Meaning & use
pulses
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Meanings
nounpluralBritish
The dried edible seeds of plants such as beans, peas and lentils, eaten as a cheap source of protein.
Grammar: Takes a plural verb: pulses are cheap and filling.
Patterns
- cook pulses
- soak pulses
Pulses such as lentils and chickpeas are a staple in many cuisines.
Soak dried pulses overnight before boiling them.
The soup is thick with pulses and root vegetables.
nounpluraltechnical
Regular beats of blood in the arteries, or short bursts of light, sound or electricity that repeat in a pattern.
Grammar: Plural of pulse: short pulses of light flashed from the signal.
Patterns
- pulses of something
The device sends out pulses of electricity to keep the heart beating steadily.
Short pulses of laser light were used to measure the distance.
Her pulses raced as the results were announced.
Word forms
| singular | pulse |
|---|
Common combinations
- dried pulses
- Dried pulses keep for years in a cupboard.
- tinned pulses
- Tinned pulses save time when cooking dinner.
- soak pulses
- You should soak pulses before cooking them.
- pulses and grains
- Pulses and grains together provide complete protein.
- electrical pulses
- Electrical pulses travel along nerve fibres.
Synonyms and how they differ
- legumes
- Legumes is the botanical term for the whole plant family, including fresh and green types, while pulses are only the dried seeds.
- beans
- Beans are only one kind of pulse, so pulses is the wider word that also covers lentils and peas.
- lentils
- Lentils are one specific pulse, whereas pulses is the general group name.
Word family
Commonly confused: pulses or impulses?
pulses vs impulses
Impulses are sudden urges or nerve signals, and the word looks similar but does not mean beans or lentils.
Practice
A vegetarian diet often relies on ___ such as lentils and chickpeas for protein.
Choose one answer.
Pulses are dried beans, peas and lentils. Spices and herbs add flavor but are not a main protein source.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pulses”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.