What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Streak vs Instinct - What's the difference?

streak | instinct |

As nouns the difference between streak and instinct

is that streak is an irregular line left from smearing or motion while instinct is a natural or inherent impulse or behaviour.

As a verb streak

is to have or obtain streaks.

As an adjective instinct is

(archaic) imbued, charged ((with) something).

streak

English

(wikipedia streak)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An irregular line left from smearing or motion.
  • *
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage='Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.}}
  • A continuous series of like events.
  • The color of the powder of a mineral. So called, because a simple field test for a mineral is to streak it against unglazed white porcelain.
  • A moth of the family Geometridae .
  • *
  • A tendency or characteristic, but not a dominant or pervasive one.
  • (shipbuilding) A strake.
  • A rung or round of a ladder.
  • Derived terms

    * streak of good luck

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To have or obtain streaks.
  • If you clean a window in direct sunlight, it will streak.
  • (slang) To run naked in public.
  • It was a pleasant game until some guy went streaking across the field.
  • To create streaks.
  • You will streak a window by cleaning it in direct sunlight.
  • To move very swiftly.
  • (obsolete, UK, Scotland) To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body.
  • See also

    * losing streak * streaker * winning streak * talk a blue streak

    Anagrams

    * * * * * *

    instinct

    Noun

  • A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour.
  • Many animals fear fire by instinct .
  • * Shakespeare
  • By a divine instinct , men's minds mistrust / Ensuing dangers.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1921 , title= , author=Bertrand Russell , passage=In spite of these qualifications, the broad distinction between instinct and habit is undeniable. To take extreme cases, every animal at birth can take food by instinct, before it has had opportunity to learn; on the other hand, no one can ride a bicycle by instinct, though, after learning, the necessary movements become just as automatic as if they were instinctive.}}
  • An intuitive reaction not based on rational conscious thought.
  • an instinct''' for order; to be modest by '''instinct
    Debbie's instinct was to distrust John.

    Derived terms

    * instinctively * instinctive

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (archaic) Imbued, charged ((with) something).
  • * Milton
  • The chariot of paternal deity / Itself instinct with spirit, but convoyed / By four cherubic shapes.
  • * Brougham
  • a noble performance, instinct with sound principle
  • * 1928 , (HP Lovecraft), ‘The Call of Cthulhu’:
  • This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence, and squatted evilly on a rectangular block or pedestal covered with undecipherable characters.