American English pronunciation
How to pronounce motive
IPA transcription: ['moʊtɪv]
Hear “motive” pronounced
['moʊtɪv]
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['moʊtɪv]
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['moʊtɪv]
Quality: 0.99
Noun
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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”
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a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration
-
a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
Adjective
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impelling to action; - Arthur Pap
“it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function”
“motive pleas”
“motivating arguments”
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causing or able to cause motion
“a motive force”
“motive power”
“motor energy”
Usage examples
- Hitherto, locomotives were numbered in three different series.
- After the camp was closed, a large automotive depot was placed there.
- Huntington locomotive began running along the edge of the gorge near the bridge.
- It is unclear what her motives are.
- The locomotives were available with a choice of prime movers.
- A key motive was the National Environmental Policy Act.
- At the Fair the drive wheels operated under the locomotive's own steam power.
- This helped to disguise the bulk of the locomotive body.
- After dusk, Jim is hit by a locomotive and badly injured.
- Similar locomotives developed in England were known as Single Fairlies.