Meaning of motive | Babel Free

Definitions

1. An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.
   obsolete
2. An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.
3. something that makes a person choose to act in a particular way; a reason. What was his motive for murdering the old lady? motief دافِع، حافِز мотив motivo motiv das Motiv motiv; bevæggrund κίνητρο, ελατήριοmotivo motiiv انگيزه motiivi motifמניע प्रयोजन motiv indíték motif tilefni motivo 動機 (행위의) 동기 motyvas, akstinas motīvs; iemesls motif beweegredenmotiv, begrunnelsemotyw دليل motivo motiv повод; мотив motív nagib motiv motiv แรงจูงใจ neden, sebep, dürtü 動機 мотив, привід مقصد động cơ 动机
4. A limb or other bodily organ that can move.
   obsolete, rare
5. to cause to act in a particular way. He was motivated by jealousy. motiveer يُحَفِّز мотивирам motivar podnítit anregen motivere ωθώ, παρακινώmotivar ajendama تحريک کردن motivoida pousser לְהָנִיע प्रेरित करना motivirati motivál mendorong hvetja, kveikja löngun/áhuga motivare 動機づける 동기를 부여하다 skatinti motivēt; rosināt bermotivasi drijven, aanzettenmotiveremotywować تحريك كول motivar a împinge, a motiva побуждать podnietiť spodbuditi motivisati motivera กระตุ้น sebep olmak, güdülemek 激發 спонукат...
6. Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.
7. motivering إثارَه، تَشْويق، تَحْفيز، حَفْز мотивация motivação motivace die Motivierung motivation κίνητρο, παρακίνησηmotivación motivatsioon محرک motivaatio motivationמוטיבציה, הנעה प्रेरण motivacija indok(lás), motiváció motivasi áhugi; ástæða, hvöt motivazione 動機づけ 동기 부여 motyvacija, stimulas motivācija; stimuls motivasi motiveringmotivasjonmotywacja انګيزه motivação motivaţie побуждение motivácia motivacija; utemeljitev motivacija motivering, motivation แรงบันดาลใจ motivasyon, güdülenme 動機...
8. motivo; ánimo, fuerza mayor.
9. An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.
10. A party, gathering, or get-together.
    British
11. (mō′tĭv, mō-tēv′) A motif in art, literature, or music.
12. One's plans for the day or night.
    British
13. Causing or able to cause motion: motive power.
14. Causing an action: motive pleas.
15. (Psychology) the reason for a certain course of action, whether conscious or unconscious
16. (Art Terms) a variant of motif2

Equivalents

Examples

“there's something in a woman beyond all human delight; a magnetic virtue, a charming quality, an occult and powerful motive.”

“Many of them at first seemed kind to him, but it turned out their motives were not entirely altruistic.”

““Your job here is to find the good things in your colleagues—the things their state saw—and not focus on the bad.” I said I understand. “And, Joe, never attack another man’s motive, because you don’t know his motive.””

“every joint and motive of her body”

“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.”

““Why should Eldridge commit murder?[…]There was only one possible motive—namely, he wished to avoid detection as James Selby of Anaconda Ltd. […]””

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

“What's the motive for tonight, lads?”

CEFR level