knee-jerk reaction
knee-jerk reaction · knee-jerk reactions
Reaktion aus dem Bauch, Reaktion aus dem Bauch heraus, instinktive Reaktion
An instantaneous reaction made without thoughtAn instantaneous reaction made without thought.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)An instantaneous reaction made without thought.
Near-synonym: gut reaction
Origin
By means of an elliptical reference to the reflexes of reflex arcs, in this case the patelBy means of an elliptical reference to the reflexes of reflex arcs, in this case the patellar reflex.
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Forms
plural: knee-jerk reactions| Singular | knee-jerk reaction |
|---|---|
| Plural | knee-jerk reactions |
regular
Synonyms
1 synonymsWord family
1 related wordsRelatedkneejerk reflex