motive

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Synonyms 1.4.2 Translations 1.5 Adjective 1.5.1 Synonyms 1.5.2 Translations 2 Croatian 2.1 Noun 3 French 3.1 Verb 4 Romanian 4.1 Pronunciation 4.2 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Latin motivus

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

motive (plural motives)

1. An incentive to act; a reason for doing something; anything that prompted a choice of action.

   Although his questions seemed strange to me, I'm sure he had a good motive for asking them.

2. Alternative spelling of motif; a theme or subject, especially one that is central to the work or often repeated.

   If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive.

[edit] Synonyms

• (incentive) motivation

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to motive (third-person singular simple present motives, present participle motiving, simple past and past participle motived)

1. (transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

[edit] Synonyms

• motivate

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adjective

motive (not comparable)

1. Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.
   • 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus, Folio Society 2007, p. 195:

     In the motive parts of animals may be discovered mutuall proportions; not only in those of Quadrupeds, but in the thigh-bone, legge, foot-bone, and claws of Birds.

2. Relating to motion and/or to its cause

[edit] Synonyms

• moving
• (relating to motion) motional

[edit] Translations

---

[edit] Croatian

[edit] Noun

motive m. (plural)

1. Accusative plural form of motiv.

---

[edit] French

[edit] Verb

motive

1. imperative form of motiver
2. singular present imperfect form of motiver

---

[edit] Romanian

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: [moˈtive]

[edit] Noun

motive n. pl.

1. Plural form of motiv.