'Motive' definitions:
Definition of 'motive'
From: WordNet
adjective
Causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy" [syn: motive(a), motor]
adjective
Impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments" [syn: motivative(a), motive(a), motivating]
noun
The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" [syn: motivation, motive, need]
noun
A theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music [syn: motif, motive]
noun
A design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration [syn: motif, motive]
Definition of 'Motive'
From: GCIDE
- Motive \Mo"tive\, n. [F. motif, LL. motivum, from motivus moving, fr. L. movere, motum, to move. See Move.]
- 1. That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object; motivation[2]. [1913 Webster]
- By motive, I mean the whole of that which moves, excites, or invites the mind to volition, whether that be one thing singly, or many things conjunctively. --J. Edwards. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Mus.) The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a comor a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is develpoed. See also {Leading motive}, under Leading. [Written also motivo.] [1913 Webster]
- 4. (Fine Arts) That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: Incentive; incitement; inducement; reason; spur; stimulus; cause.
- Usage: Motive, Inducement, Reason. Motive is the word originally used in speaking of that which determines the choice. We call it an inducement when it is attractive in its nature. We call it a reason when it is more immediately addressed to the intellect in the form of argument. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Motive'
From: GCIDE
- Motive \Mo"tive\, a. Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. "Motive faculty." --Bp. Wilkins. [1913 Webster]
- Motive power (Mach.), a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Motive'
From: GCIDE
- Motive \Mo"tive\, v. t. To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'motive'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- activating,
- active,
- actuating,
- aim,
- ambition,
- angle,
- animating,
- animus,
- antecedent,
- argument,
- aspiration,
- attraction,
- basis,
- burden,
- case,
- causal,
- causative,
- cause,
- chapter,
- compelling,
- concern,
- consideration,
- counsel,
- desideration,
- desideratum,
- design,
- desire,
- determinant,
- determination,
- device,
- directive,
- driving,
- effect,
- emotion,
- end,
- enticement,
- essence,
- feeling,
- figure,
- fixed purpose,
- focus of attention,
- focus of interest,
- function,
- gist,
- goad,
- goal,
- grounds,
- head,
- heading,
- idea,
- impellent,
- impelling,
- impulsive,
- in motion,
- incentive,
- incitement,
- inducement,
- inducive,
- influence,
- intendment,
- intent,
- intention,
- issue,
- kinetic,
- leitmotiv,
- living issue,
- lure,
- main point,
- matter,
- matter in hand,
- meaning,
- meat,
- mind,
- mobile,
- motif,
- motile,
- motivating,
- motivating force,
- motivation,
- motivational,
- motor,
- moving,
- nisus,
- object,
- objective,
- operative,
- passion,
- pattern,
- phrase,
- plan,
- point,
- point at issue,
- point in question,
- pressing,
- problem,
- prod,
- project,
- propellant,
- propelling,
- proposal,
- propulsive,
- propulsory,
- prospectus,
- pulsive,
- purpose,
- pushing,
- question,
- rationale,
- reason,
- resolution,
- resolve,
- rubric,
- sake,
- shoving,
- spring,
- spur,
- stimulation,
- stimulus,
- stirring,
- striving,
- study,
- subject,
- subject matter,
- subject of thought,
- substance,
- text,
- theme,
- thrusting,
- topic,
- transitional,
- traveling,
- urge,
- urgent,
- view,
- will