motive
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also Motive
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Verb: From Medieval Latin motivus (“serving to move, motive”), from Latin motus, past participle of movere (“to move”).
Noun: From Middle English motif, from Old French motif, from Medieval Latin motivum (“a motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus (“serving to move”): see verb.
[edit] Pronunciation
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Audio (US) (file)
[edit] Noun
motive (plural motives)
- An incentive to act; a reason for doing something; anything that prompted a choice of action.
- What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?
- No-one could understand why she had hidden the shovel; her motives were obscure at best.
- A 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
- (creative works) motif
[edit] Translations
that which incites to action
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theme or subject
guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art
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[edit] Verb
motive (third-person singular simple present motives, present participle motiving, simple past and past participle motived)
- (transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
[edit] Adjective
motive (not comparable)
- 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.
- 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus, Folio Society 2007, p. 195:
- Relating to motion and/or to its cause
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
causing motion
Relating to motion and/or to its cause
[edit] External links
- motive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- motive in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- motive at OneLook Dictionary Search
[edit] Anagrams
[edit] French
[edit] Verb
motive
[edit] Latin
[edit] Adjective
mōtive
- vocative masculine singular of mōtivus
[edit] Romanian
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: [moˈtive]
[edit] Noun
motive n. pl.
- Plural form of motiv.
[edit] Serbo-Croatian
[edit] Noun
motive (Cyrillic spelling мотиве)
[edit] Spanish
[edit] Verb
motive (infinitive motivar)
Categories:
- English terms derived from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English nouns
- English verbs
- English adjectives
- English uncomparable adjectives
- French verb forms
- Latin adjective forms
- Romanian plurals
- Serbo-Croatian noun forms
- Spanish verb forms
- Spanish verb imperative forms
- Spanish verb singular forms
- Spanish verb second-person forms
- Spanish verb formal forms
- Spanish forms of verbs ending in -ar
- Spanish verb subjunctive forms
- Spanish verb first-person forms
- Spanish verb present forms
- Spanish verb third-person forms
