killer instinct

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

killer instinct (countable and uncountable, plural killer instincts)

1. (idiomatic) The natural inclination to do whatever is necessary to succeed (including extreme violence)
   • 2011 January 25, Les Roopanarine, “Wigan 1 - 2 Aston Villa”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Not for the first time this season, that lack of killer instinct - combined with an approach more responsive than probing - proved costly for Martinez's men.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see killer,‎ instinct.

Translations

inclination

• Finnish: tappajan vaisto