noun 1. the act of moving ○ The motion of the ship made him feel ill. □ in motion moving ○ Do not try to get on or off while the train is in motion. ○ Now that we have planning permission for the new sports hall, we can set things in motion to get the foundations laid. 2. a movement of part of the body ○ A slight motion of his head indicated to the auctioneer that he was making a bid. ○ She made a motion as if to get up, but in the end stayed in her seat. 3. □ to go through the motions to do something for the sake of appearances without believing in it ○ He’s lost all interest in his job – he’s just going through the motions. 4. a proposal which is to be put to the vote at a meeting ○ The motion was carried by 220 votes to 196. □ to second a motion to support the person who proposed the motion □ to table a motion to put forward a proposal for discussion by putting details of it on the table at a meeting ■ verb to make a movement with your hands which means something ○ He motioned us to our chairs. ○ She motioned to me to open the window. Synonym signal
mo´tion
n. [F., fr. L. motio, fr. movere, motum, to move. See Move.]
1. The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; — opposed to rest. “Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace
attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms.” Milton.
2. Power of, or capacity for, motion. “Devoid of sense and motion.” Milton.
3. Direction of movement; course; tendency; as the motion of the planets is from west to east. “In our proper motion we ascend.” Milton.
4. Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts. “This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion.” Dr. H. More.
5. Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity. “Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God.” South.
6. A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as a motion to adjourn. “Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.” Shak.
7. (Law) An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant. Mozley & W.
8. (Mus.) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. “The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint.” Grove. Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is that when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when parts move in the same direction.
9. A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.] “What motion’s this? the model of Nineveh?” Beau. & Fl. Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound. Simple motions are: (a) straight translation, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. (b) Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called oscillating. (c) Helical, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. Compound motion consists of combinations of any of the simple motions. Center of motion, Harmonic motion, etc. See under Center, Harmonic, etc. — Motion block (Steam Engine), a crosshead. — Perpetual motion (Mech.), an incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without. Syn. — See Movement.
1. The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; — opposed to rest. “Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace
attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms.” Milton.
2. Power of, or capacity for, motion. “Devoid of sense and motion.” Milton.
3. Direction of movement; course; tendency; as the motion of the planets is from west to east. “In our proper motion we ascend.” Milton.
4. Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts. “This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion.” Dr. H. More.
5. Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity. “Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God.” South.
6. A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as a motion to adjourn. “Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.” Shak.
7. (Law) An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant. Mozley & W.
8. (Mus.) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. “The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint.” Grove. Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is that when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when parts move in the same direction.
9. A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.] “What motion’s this? the model of Nineveh?” Beau. & Fl. Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound. Simple motions are: (a) straight translation, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. (b) Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called oscillating. (c) Helical, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. Compound motion consists of combinations of any of the simple motions. Center of motion, Harmonic motion, etc. See under Center, Harmonic, etc. — Motion block (Steam Engine), a crosshead. — Perpetual motion (Mech.), an incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without. Syn. — See Movement.
Meaning of “motion” in English language – noun 1. the act of moving ○ The motion o...
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