/'ɪnstɪŋkt; `ɪnstɪŋkt/
n ~ (for sth/doing sth); ~ (to do sth) [U, C]
1 natural inborn tendency to behave in a certain way without reasoning or training 本能
*Birds learn to fly by instinct. 鸟会飞是出自本能.
* Birds have the instinct to learn to fly. 鸟有飞的本能.
2 natural feeling that makes one choose to act in a particular way 直觉
*When I saw the flames I acted on instinct and threw a blanket over them. 我看见火焰时便凭直觉把一张毯子扑在火焰上.
* My first instinct was to refuse, but later I reconsidered. 最初我凭直觉加以拒绝, 但後来又重新考虑了.
* have an instinct for survival 有求生的直觉
* Trust your instincts and marry him! 要相信你的直觉, 就嫁给他吧!
* I'm afraid I gave way to my worst instincts and hit him. 真遗憾, 我一时任性打了他.
* The sight of the helpless little boy aroused her maternal instinct(s). 她看见那孤苦无助的小男孩激发了她的母性.
* (ironic 反语) have an instinct for doing or saying the wrong thing 有做错事或说错话的本领
* (fig 比喻) I'm afraid he lacks the killer instinct, ie ability to be ruthless. 我看他不够心狠手辣.

n [U and C]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin;Origin: instinctus, from instinguere 'to make someone wish to do something']
a natural tendency to behave in a particular way or a natural ability to know something, which is not learned
→intuitioninstinct for
　Animals have a natural instinct for survival.
instinct to do sth
　the human instinct to form relationships
by instinct
　Birds build nests by instinct.
sexual/maternal/survival instinct
　Her instinct told her that something was wrong.
sb's first instinct
(=what someone feels like doing first when something happens)
　His first instinct was to rush back to Isobel.