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appulse

noun
ap·​pulse | \ əˈpəls, aˈp-, ˈaˌp- also -lts\
plural -s

Definition of appulse

1 : a driving or running toward something (such as a place) : act of striking against something (such as a point) the days have passed when national differences could be settled by the appulse of small professional armies— R. S. Ellery
2 : the apparent very near approach of one celestial body to another : a coming into conjunction — see lunar appulse

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History and Etymology for appulse

Latin appulsus driving forward, approach, from appulsus, past participle of appellere to drive toward, strike against, from ad- + pellere to drive, beat, push

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