a strong wish, especially one that is difficult or impossible to control
The two of them seem unable to control their sexual urges.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
urge
noun
a strong feeling that you want to do something:
I had a sudden urge to laugh.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
II. urge2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
a strong wish or need SYN desire
urge to do something
He could no longer resist the urge to go and see Amanda.
Suddenly she had an overwhelming urge to be with her son.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ strong/powerful The urge was too strong to resist.
▪ an irresistible/uncontrollable/overwhelming urge (=very strong) I was overcome by an irresistible urge to laugh.
▪ a sudden urge She fought back the sudden urge to beg his forgiveness.
▪ a sexual/biological urge Most of us feel the biological urge to reproduce.
▪ a primal/instinctive/basic/natural urge (=a natural urge that all people have) Every animal has an instinctive urge to survive.
■ verbs
▪ feel/have an urge I still sometimes feel an urge to have a cigarette.
▪ resist/fight/suppress an urge She had to resist a constant urge to look back over her shoulder.
▪ satisfy an urge (=do want you feel you want to do) He satisfied his urge to travel by going to India.
▪ give in to an urge (=do what you feel you want to do, when this is wrong) I try not to give in to the urge to gossip.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
noun
a strong desire to do sth
• sexual urges
• ~ to do sth I had a sudden urge to hit him.
Word Origin:
mid 16th cent.: from Latin urgere ‘press, drive’.
Example Bank:
• I felt a sudden urge to smash the teapot against the wall.
• I suppressed a strong urge to yawn.
• Leaving him off the guest list satisfied her urge for revenge.
• She resisted the urge to kiss him.
• an instinctive urge to tap your feet to the beat of the music
• the human urge to control the environment
• the primal urge to reproduce
• Freud claimed that this behaviour was caused by the repression of sexual urges.
• She felt a violent urge to laugh, but suppressed it, with difficulty.
• a/an biological/instinctive/primitive need/urge
• sexual needs/urges
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
urge / ɜːdʒ / / ɝːdʒ / noun [ C ]
C2 a strong wish, especially one that is difficult or impossible to control:
The two of them seem unable to control their sexual urges.
[ + to infinitive ] The urge to steal is very strong in many of the young men we look after here.
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
urge
[ɜ͟ː(r)ʤ]
♦♦
urges, urging, urged
1) VERB If you urge someone to do something, you try hard to persuade them to do it.
[V n to-inf] They urged parliament to approve plans for their reform programme...
[V n to-inf] He urged employers and trade unions to adapt their pay settlements to the economic circumstances.
2) VERB If you urge someone somewhere, you make them go there by touching them or talking to them.
[V n prep/adv] He slipped his arm around her waist and urged her away from the window...
[V n] `Come on, Grace,' he was urging her, `don't wait, hurry up.'
3) VERB If you urge a course of action, you strongly advise that it should be taken.
[V n on n] He urged restraint on the security forces...
[V n] We urge vigorous action to be taken immediately.
4) N-COUNT: oft N to-inf If you have an urge to do or have something, you have a strong wish to do or have it.
He had an urge to open a shop of his own...
I have often talked about why we want to be mothers, but none of us can describe the urge exactly.
Phrasal Verbs:
- urge on
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
urge
2urge noun, pl urges [count] : a strong need or desire to have or do something
• the urge for something sweet
• He fought the urge to cry/laugh.
• creative/sexual urges