motive

Definitions

1. 1noun

   That which moves; a mover.

2. 2noun

   That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object.

3. 3noun

   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.

4. 4noun

   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.

5. 5adjective

   Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.

6. 6transitive verb

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

7. 7noun

   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"

   Synonyms

   motivationneed
8. 8noun

   a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

   Synonyms

   motif
9. 9noun

   a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music

   Synonyms

   motif
10. 10adjective

    impelling to action- Arthur Pap

    "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"

    "motive pleas"

    Synonyms

    motivatingmotivative
11. 11adjective

    causing or able to cause motion

    "a motive force"

    "motive power"

    Synonyms

    motor