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That which is instant or urgent; motive. [Obs.] The instances that second marriage move Are base respects of thrift, but none of love. Shak.

Moral soundness; honesty; freedom from corrupting influence or motive; -- used especially with reference to the fulfillment of contracts, the discharge of agencies, trusts, and the like; uprightness; rectitude. The moral grandeur of independent integrity is the sublimest thing in nature. Buckminster. Their sober zeal,…

fected; as an invective against tyranny. The world will be able to judge of his [Junius'] motives for writing such famous invectives. Sir W. Draper.

Destitute of religion; not controlled by religious motives or principles; ungodly. Cf. Impiou. Shame and reproach are generally the portion of the impious and irreligious. South.

posed to suspect rivalry in matters of interest and affection; apprehensive regarding the motives of possible rivals, or the fidelity of friends; distrustful; having morbid fear of rivalry in love or preference given to another; painfully suspicious of the faithfulness of husband, wife, or lover. If the spirit of jealo…

lohist]. He is fuller and freer in his descriptions; more reflective in his assignment of motives and causes; more artificial in mode of narration. S. Davidson.

; requital of desert; merited reward or punishment; that which is due to one's conduct or motives. This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. Shak.

A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousand volts.

Worthy of being lauded; praiseworthy; commendable; as, laudable motives; laudable actions; laudable ambition.

Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost; as, a leading motive; a leading man; a leading example. -- Lead"ing*ly, adv. Leading case (Law), a reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved. Abbott. -- Leading motive Etym: [a translation of G. leitmotif] (Mus.), a guiding…

See Leading motive, under Leading, a.

the engine can be reversed, or the cut-off varied, at will; -- used very generally in locomotives and marine engines.

ock or the spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence: The chief or most powerful motive; the efficient cause of action.

With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act. Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband without just cause. Burrill. -- Malicious mischief (Law), malicious injury to the property of another; -- an offense at common l…

her person claiming large powers, showing his intentions, or proclaiming his opinions and motives in reference to some act done or contemplated by him; as, a manifesto declaring the purpose of a prince to begin war, and explaining his motives. Bouvier. it was proposed to draw up a manifesto, setting forth the grounds a…

to hit or reach. France was a fairer mark to shoot at than Ireland. Davies. Whate'er the motive, pleasure is the mark. Young.

an important manner or degree; essentaily; as, it materially concern us to know the real motives of our actions.

Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive. Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love Dryden.

Like a medusa; having the fundamental structure of a medusa, but without a locomotive disk; -- said of the sessile gonophores of hydroids. -- n.

One of the larger measures of electro-motive force, amounting to one million volts.