motion

[ moh-shuh n ]

/ ˈmoʊ ʃən /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR motion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the action or process of moving or of changing place or position; movement.

power of movement, as of a living body.

the manner of moving the body in walking; gait.

a bodily movement or change of posture; gesture.

a proposal formally made to a deliberative assembly: to make a motion to adjourn.

Law. an application made to a court or judge for an order, ruling, or the like.

a suggestion or proposal.

an inward prompting or impulse; inclination: He will go only of his own motion.

Music. melodic progression, as the change of a voice part from one pitch to another.

Machinery.

a piece of mechanism with a particular action or function.
the action of such a mechanism.

verb (used with object)

to direct by a significant motion or gesture, as with the hand: to motion a person to a seat.

verb (used without object)

to make a meaningful motion, as with the hand; gesture; signal: to motion to someone to come.

Idioms for motion

go through the motions, to do something halfheartedly, routinely, or as a formality or façade.

in motion, in active operation; moving: The train was already in motion when he tried to board it.

Origin of motion

1350–1400; Middle English mocio(u)n < Latin mōtiōn- (stem of mōtiō), equivalent to mōt(us) (past participle of movēre to move) + -iōn- -ion

synonym study for motion

1. Motion, move, movement refer to change of position in space. Motion denotes change of position, either considered apart from, or as a characteristic of, something that moves; usually the former, in which case it is often a somewhat technical or scientific term: perpetual motion. The chief uses of move are founded upon the idea of moving a piece, in chess or a similar game, for winning the game, and hence the word denotes any change of position, condition, or circumstances for the accomplishment of some end: a shrewd move to win votes. Movement is always connected with the person or thing moving, and is usually a definite or particular motion: the movements of a dance. 3. bearing, carriage.

OTHER WORDS FROM motion

mo·tion·al, adjective mo·tion·er, noun in·ter·mo·tion, noun non·mo·tion, noun

self-mo·tion, noun un·der·mo·tion, noun un·mo·tioned, adjective un·mo·tion·ing, adjective

Words nearby motion

mothproof, mothy, moti, motif, motile, motion, motion capture, motion picture, motion sickness, motion study, motion work

Example sentences from the Web for motion

I wonder what that lady is doing now, and if she knows what she set in motion with Archer?

‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS |Marlow Stern |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
The train was already in motion as she tried to step inside, and her body was crushed beneath it.

Riding Thailand’s WWII Death Railway |Liza Foreman |December 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But what he did set in motion a series of events that ended in his life being lost.

A Black Cop’s Tough Words for Mike Brown |Mary M. Chapman |December 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This year McQueen picked up three Oscars (including best picture) for his third motion picture 12 Years A Slave.

Has the Turner Prize Gone Soft? |David Levesley |December 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But his voice never seems to crack or weaken, and he's always in motion—jiggling, aerobic walking, jumping, dancing.

The Stacks: Pauline Kael's Talking Heads Obsession |Pauline Kael |November 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But hindered by the bonds that bound her, she was unable to follow with suppleness the motion of her mount.

The Branding Needle, or The Monastery of Charolles |Eugne Sue
All that great blanket of ducks uncovered the pond with one motion.

Old Plymouth Trails |Winthrop Packard
I appreciate the spirit in which that motion was made, and Ill put it at the proper time.

For the Honor of Randall |Lester Chadwick
This is Platonic, not Aristotelian, who believes in the eternity of motion as well as of time.

A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy |Isaac Husik
In sudden climax the motion of the waves fills all the brass in triumphant paean, in the gleam of high noon.

Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies |Philip H. Goepp

British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)

motion

/ (ˈməʊʃən) /

noun

the process of continual change in the physical position of an object; movement linear motion Related adjective: kinetic

a movement or action, esp of part of the human body; a gesture

the capacity for movement
a manner of movement, esp walking; gait

a mental impulse

a formal proposal to be discussed and voted on in a debate, meeting, etc

law an application made to a judge or court for an order or ruling necessary to the conduct of legal proceedings

British

the evacuation of the bowels
excrement

part of a moving mechanism
the action of such a part

music the upward or downward course followed by a part or melody. Parts whose progressions are in the same direction exhibit similar motion, while two parts whose progressions are in opposite directions exhibit contrary motion See also parallel (def. 3)

go through the motions

to act or perform the task (of doing something) mechanically or without sincerity
to mimic the action (of something) by gesture

in motion operational or functioning (often in the phrases set in motion, set the wheels in motion)

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to signal or direct (a person) by a movement or gesture

Derived forms of motion

motional, adjective

Word Origin for motion

C15: from Latin mōtiō a moving, from movēre to move

British Dictionary definitions for motion (2 of 2)

Motion

/ (ˈməʊʃən) /

noun

Sir Andrew. born 1952, British poet and biographer; his collections include Pleasure Steamers (1978) and Public Property (2002): poet laureate (1999–2009)

Medical definitions for motion

motion

[ mō′shən ]

n.

The act or process of changing position or place.

The manner in which the body or a body part moves.

Idioms and Phrases with motion

motion

see go through the motions; set in motion; set the wheels in motion.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

motion

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Idioms for motion

Origin of motion

synonym study for motion

OTHER WORDS FROM motion

Words nearby motion

Example sentences from the Web for motion

British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of motion

Word Origin for motion

British Dictionary definitions for motion (2 of 2)

noun

Medical definitions for motion

n.

Idioms and Phrases with motion

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

motion

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Idioms for motion

Origin of motion

synonym study for motion

OTHER WORDS FROM motion

Words nearby motion

Words related to motion

Example sentences from the Web for motion

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of motion

Word Origin for motion

British Dictionary definitions for motion (2 of 2)

noun

Medical definitions for motion

n.

Idioms and Phrases with motion

British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)