motive

Etymology

From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus (“serving to move”).

noun

1. (obsolete) An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.
2. An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.
   “Your job here is to find the good things in your colleagues—the things their state saw—and not focus on the bad.” I said I understand. “And, Joe, never attack another man’s motive, because you don’t know his motive.” 2007, Joe Biden, Promises to Keep, New York: Random House, published 2008, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 110
3. (obsolete, rare) A limb or other bodily organ that can move.
4. (law) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.
   What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?
   No-one could understand why she had hidden the shovel; her motives were obscure at best.
   Why should Eldridge commit murder?[…]There was only one possible motive—namely, he wished to avoid detection as James Selby of Anaconda Ltd. […] 1931, Francis Beeding, “10/6”, in Death Walks in Eastrepps
5. (architecture, fine arts) A motif.
6. (music) A motif; a theme or subject, especially one that is central to the work or often repeated.
   If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive.

verb

1. (transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

adj

1. Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move
   a motive argument
   motive power
   In the motive parts of animals may be discovered mutuall proportions; not only in those of Quadrupeds, but in the thigh-bone, legge, foot-bone, and claws of Birds. 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus, Folio Society, published 2007, page 195
2. Relating to motion and/or to its cause