Found 2 items, similar to motive.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: motive motive n 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; “we did not understand his motivation”; “he acted with the best of motives” [syn: motivation, need] 2: a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music [syn: motif] motive adj 1: causing or able to cause motion; “a motive force”; “motive power”; “motor energy” [syn: motive(a), motor] 2: impelling to action; “it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function”- Arthur Pap; “motive pleas”; “motivating arguments” [syn: motivative(a), motive(a), motivating]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Motive Motive \Mo"tive\, n. [F. motif, LL. motivum, from motivus moving, fr. L. movere, motum, to move. See Move.] 1. That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object; motivation[2]. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 3. (Mus.) The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a comor a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is develpoed. See also Leading motive , under Leading. [Written also motivo.] [1913 Webster] 4. (Fine Arts) That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one. [1913 Webster] Syn: Incentive; incitement; inducement; reason; spur; stimulus; cause. Usage: Motive, Inducement, Reason. Motive is the word originally used in speaking of that which determines the choice. We call it an inducement when it is attractive in its nature. We call it a reason when it is more immediately addressed to the intellect in the form of argument. [1913 Webster] Motive \Mo"tive\, v. t. To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move. [1913 Webster] Motive \Mo"tive\, a. Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. “Motive faculty.” --Bp. Wilkins. [1913 Webster] Motive power (Mach.), a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover. [1913 Webster]