motive

Meanings

Plural: motives

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
  • "he acted with the best of motives"
• a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
• a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration
• An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.
• 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.
• A limb or other bodily organ that can move.
• Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.
• Alternative form of motif.

Adjective Satellite

• causing or able to cause motion
  • "a motive force"
  • "motive power"
• impelling to action; - Arthur Pap
  • "motive pleas"

Verb

• To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

Adj

• Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move
• Relating to motion and/or to its cause

Synonyms

ambulatory, animate, kinetic, mobile, motif, motile, motional, motivate, motivating, motivation, motivative, motive, motor, movable, moving, need, vagile

Anagrams of motive