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will; cause; reason; inducement; object. 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.

To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence. Minds desirous of revenge were not moved with gold. Knolles. No female arts his mind could move. Dryden.

One who, or that which, excites, instigates, or causes movement, change, etc.; as, movers of sedition. These most poisonous compounds, Which are the movers of a languishing death. Shak.

To rise against, or refuse to obey, lawful authority in military or naval service; to excite, or to be guilty of, mutiny or mutinous conduct; to revolt against one's superior officer, or any rightful authority.

Having the quality of acting upon or affecting the nerves; quieting nervous excitement. -- n.

Of or pertaining to the nerves; seated in the nerves; as, nervous excitement; a nervous fever.

Done or made with careful labor; suited to excite admiration on account of exactness; evidencing great skill; exact; fine; finished; as, nice proportions, nice workmanship, a nice application; exactly or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; as, a nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosoph…

ppens; occurrence; incident. The unlooked-for incidents of family history, and its hidden excitements, and its arduous occasions. I. Taylor.

Fitted to excite hatred; hateful. [Obs.] Bale.

Eager or immoderate excitement or action; the state of turgescence of any organ; erethism; esp., the height of venereal excitement in sexual intercourse.

Wrought upon excessively; overworked; overexcited.

To make to be at peace; to appease; to calm; to still; to quiet; to allay the agitation, excitement, or resentment of; to tranquillize; as, to pacify a man when angry; to pacify pride, appetite, or importunity. "Pray ye, pacify yourself." Shak.

ently; to flutter; -- said specifically of the heart when its action is abnormal, as from excitement.

A rapid pulsation; a throbbing; esp., an abnormal, rapid beating of the heart as when excited by violent exertion, strong emotion, or by disease.

To breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp. Pluto plants for breath from out his cell. Dryden.

cular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; th…

Capable or susceptible of passion, or of different passions; easily moved, excited or agitated; specifically, easily moved to anger; irascible; quick-tempered; as, a passionate nature. Homer's Achilles is haughty and passionate. Prior.

Void of passion; without anger or emotion; not easily excited; calm. "Self-contained and passionless." Tennyson.

iving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission. The best virtue, passive fortitude. Massinger.

That quality or property of anything which touches the feelings or excites emotions and passions, esp., that which awakens tender emotions, such as pity, sorrow, and the like; contagious warmth of feeling, action, or expression; pathetic quality; as, the pathos of a picture, of a poem, or of a cry. The combination of i…