Search the Dictionary

Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



264 words match “MOTIVE”

MOTIVE n. 6 definitions
rompting 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.
MOTIVELESS a.
Destitute of a motive; not incited by a motive. -- Mo"tive*less*ness, n. G. Eliot.
ELECTRO-MOTIVE a.
roduce, electricity or an electric current; causing electrical action or effects. Electro-motive force (Physics), the force which produces, or tends to produce, electricity, or an electric current; sometimes used to express the degree of electrification as equivalent to potential, or more properly difference of potenti…
EMOTIVE a.
Attended by, or having the character of, emotion. H. Brooke. -- E*mo"tive*ly, adv.
EMOTIVENESS n.
Susceptibility to emotion. G. Eliot.
LOCOMOTIVE a. 3 definitions
Moving from place to place; changing place, or able to change place; as, a locomotive animal.
LOCOMOTIVENESS; LOCOMOTIVITY n.
The power of changing place.
MAGNETOMOTIVE a.
Pertaining to, or designating, a force producing magnetic flux, analogous to electromotive force, and equal to the magnetic flux multiplied by the magnetic reluctance.
MANUMOTIVE a.
Movable by hand. [R.]
PEDOMOTIVE a.
Moved or worked by the action of the foot or feet on a pedal or treadle.
PROMOTIVE a.
Tending to advance, promote, or encourage. Hume.
ABSTEMIOUS a.
Promotive of abstemiousness. [R.] Such is the virtue of the abstemious well. Dryden.
ACCOUNT n.
these phenomena. Hence, the word is often used simply for reason, ground, consideration, motive, etc.; as, on no account, on every account, on all accounts.
ACHIEVE v.
o be the same, far more may be achieved in any line by the aid of a capital, invigorating motive than without it. I. Taylor.
ACTUATE v.
put into action or motion; to move or incite to action; to influence actively; to move as motives do; -- more commonly used of persons. Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion. Johnson. Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow minds…
AIR n.
A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria.
ALLUREMENT n.
That which allures; any real or apparent good held forth, or operating, as a motive to action; as, the allurements of pleasure, or of honor.
AMBULACRUM n.
he principal nerves, blood vessels, and water tubes. These zones usually bear rows of locomotive suckers or tentacles, which protrude from regular pores. In star fishes they occupy the grooves along the under side of the rays.
AMISS adv.
not, because ye ask amiss. James iv. 3. To take (an act, thing) amiss, to impute a wrong motive to (an act or thing); to take offense at' to take unkindly; as, you must not take these questions amiss.
AMMONIAC; AMMONIACAL a.
ammoniacal gas. Ammoniacal engine, an engine in which the vapor of ammonia is used as the motive force. -- Sal ammoniac Etym: [L. sal ammoniacus], the salt usually called chloride of ammonium, and formerly muriate of ammonia.
← Previous Page 1 of 14 Next →