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
First recorded before 1350–1400; Middle English mocio(u)n, from Latin mōtiōn- (stem of mōtiō), equivalent to mōt(us) (past participle of movēremove) + -iōn--ion
SYNONYMS FOR motion
3 bearing, carriage.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR motion ON THESAURUS.COM
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.
Every frame looks like an ukiyo-e print in motion, kinetic and untethered to the physical world.
7 daring movie adaptations of literary classics|Allegra Frank|August 28, 2020|Vox
Committees for the Republican Senatorial and Congressional campaigns filed motions in the case, arguing that election rules, including the staff prohibition, should not be changed.
Hundreds of Thousands of Nursing Home Residents May Not Be Able to Vote in November Because of the Pandemic|by Ryan McCarthy and Jack Gillum|August 26, 2020|ProPublica
Our eyes contain cones, which are the cells that sense color, and rods, which sense motion.
You don’t see as much color as you think|Bethany Brookshire|August 21, 2020|Science News For Students
The Fujitsu team built an artificial-intelligence program that could learn to recognize and outline a human skeleton within these motion data.
A robot referee can really keep its ‘eye’ on the ball|Kathryn Hulick|August 20, 2020|Science News For Students
To turn methanol into motion, the researchers coated a nickel-titanium alloy wire with platinum.
Methanol fuel gives this tiny beetle bot the freedom to roam|Carmen Drahl|August 19, 2020|Science News
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.
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; movementlinear 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
lawan 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
musicthe 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 motionSee 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 motionoperational 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)