whim
n. countablen. a sudden wish or idea to do something, especially when there is no important reason for it. You use this when someone acts quickly without planning ahead.
n. a sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained. Often implies a lack of serious motive or deliberation.
She bought the expensive dress on a whim.
The company's direction seemed to change at the whim of the CEO rather than following a long-term strategy.
While some travelers plan every minute of their itinerary, others prefer the freedom of traveling on a whim, allowing local recommendations to dictate their next destination.
Clipping of whim-wham.
Compare whimbrel.
Frequently used in the prepositional phrase 'on a whim' or following 'at the' ('at the whim of').