MOTIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does motive mean? 

• MOTIVE (noun)
  The noun MOTIVE has 3 senses:

1. 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

2. a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music

3. a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

  Familiarity information: MOTIVE used as a noun is uncommon.

• MOTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective MOTIVE has 2 senses:

1. causing or able to cause motion

2. impelling to action

  Familiarity information: MOTIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOTIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Synonyms:

motivation; motive; need

Context example:

he acted with the best of motives

Hypernyms ("motive" is a kind of...):

psychological feature (a feature of the mental life of a living organism)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "motive"):

life (a motive for living)

rational motive (a motive that can be defended by reasoning or logical argument)

irrational motive (a motivation that is inconsistent with reason or logic)

impulse; urge (an instinctive motive)

ethical motive; ethics; morality; morals (motivation based on ideas of right and wrong)

mental energy; psychic energy (an actuating force or factor)

Derivation:

motivate (give an incentive for action)

motive (impelling to action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

motif; motive

Hypernyms ("motive" is a kind of...):

idea; melodic theme; musical theme; theme ((music) melodic subject of a musical composition)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "motive"):

obbligato; obligato (a persistent but subordinate motif)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

motif; motive

Hypernyms ("motive" is a kind of...):

design; figure; pattern (a decorative or artistic work)

• MOTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing or able to cause motion

Synonyms:

motive; motor

Context example:

motor energy

Similar:

causative (producing an effect)

Derivation:

motivity (the power or ability to move)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Impelling to action

Synonyms:

motivating; motivative; motive

Context example:

motivating arguments

Similar:

causative (producing an effect)

Derivation:

motive (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)

 Context examples 

“Before I can advise you properly,” said Mr. Wickfield—“the old question, you know. What's your motive in this?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The distance is nothing when one has a motive; only three miles.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

But, still, whatever your motive, I am glad that you went down that mine.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My spirits rallied with the morning, and I felt that I had still a motive for remaining here.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

This had been her motive in going to her cousin's.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Henry smiled, and said, “How very little trouble it can give you to understand the motive of other people's actions.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Robbery does not appear to have been the motive of the crime, for there had been no attempt to remove the valuable contents of the room.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

These motives urged me to comply with his demand.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

There was no quarrel between them and she can give no motive for his action.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Beyond wondering at what could have been Dennin's motive, they remained silent, oppressed by the horror of the tragedy.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)