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That which has produced or nurtured anything; source of birth or origin; generatrix. Alas! poor country! ... it can not Be called our mother, but our grave. Shak. I behold ... the solitary majesty of Crete, mother of a religion, it is said, that lived two thousand years. Landor.

Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts. This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion. Dr. H. More.

That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the 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 get up on anything, as a platform or scaffold; especially, to seat one's self on a horse for riding.

That by which anything is prepared for use, or set off to advantage; equipment; embellishment; setting; as, the mounting of a sword or diamond.

To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.

That which moves anything. [R.]

A proposer; one who offers a proposition, or recommends anything for consideration or adoption; as, the mover of a resolution in a legislative body.

Anything filthy or vile. Spenser.

ntoxicated. [R.] They muddle it [money] away without method or object, and without having anything to show for it. Hazlitt.

Anything with which another thing, as an oar or drum, is muffled; also, a boxing glove; a muff.

Anything used in muffling; esp., a scarf for protecting the head and neck in cold weather; a tippet. Fortune is painted blind, with a muffler above her eyes. Shak.

e game of gleek, four cards of the same value, as four aces or four kings; hence, four of anything. [Obs.] [Written also mournival.]

Anything artfully made difficult; an enigma.

external covering of down, of short fine hairs or fibers forming part of the substance of anything, and lying smoothly in one direction; the pile; -- as, the nap of cotton flannel or of broadcloth.

Original; constituting the original substance of anything; as, native dust. Milton.

Resembling the object imitated; true to nature; according to the life; -- said of anything copied or imitated; as, a portrait is natural.

The central part or point of anything; the middle. Within the navel of this hideous wood, Immured in cypress shades, a sorcerer dwells. Milton.

Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose, or rambling; as, a version near to the original.

That which is needful; anything necessary to be done; (pl.) necessary things; business. [Obs.] Chaucer.