move

[ moov ]
See synonyms for: movemovedmovesmoving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),moved, mov·ing.
  1. to pass from one place or position to another.

  2. to go from one place of residence to another: They moved from Tennessee to Texas.

  1. to advance or progress: The red racing car moved into the lead.

  2. to have a regular motion, as an implement or a machine; turn; revolve.

  3. to sell or be sold: That new model is moving well.

  4. to start off or leave: It's time to be moving.

  5. to transfer a piece in a game, as chess or checkers.

  6. (of the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces; evacuate.

  7. to be active in a particular sphere: to move in musical society.

  8. to take action; proceed.

  9. to make a formal request, application, or proposal: to move for a new trial.

verb (used with object),moved, mov·ing.
  1. to change from one place or position to another.

  2. to set or keep in motion.

  1. to prompt, actuate, or impel to some action: What moved you to do this?

  2. to arouse or excite the feelings or passions of; affect with emotion (usually followed by to): to move someone to anger.

  3. to affect with tender or compassionate emotion; touch: The tale of tragedy moved her.

  4. to transfer (a piece in a game) from one position to another.

  5. to dispose of (goods) by sale.

  6. to cause (the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces.

  7. to propose formally, as to a court or judge, or for consideration by a deliberative assembly.

  8. to submit a formal request or proposal to (a court, a sovereign, etc.).

noun
  1. an act or instance of moving; movement.

  2. a change of location or residence.

  1. an action toward an objective or goal; step: a move toward a higher tax.

  2. (in chess, checkers, etc.) a player's right or turn to make a play.

  3. a play or maneuver, as in a game or sport.

Verb Phrases
  1. move in, to begin to occupy a place in which to live or work.

  2. move in on, Informal.

    • to approach or make advances toward usurping another's success, authority, position, or the like.

    • to take aggressive steps to control or possess: The company has not yet moved in on the consumer market.

  1. move on,

    • to leave or go away: I’ve been in this job ten years and it’s time to move on.

    • to approach or attack as a military target: The army is moving on the capital itself.

    • to progress or change: Those hats were popular once, but fashion has moved on.

    • to move past an upsetting experience and go on with one’s life.

  2. move out, to leave a place in order to start or continue a planned march, maneuver, journey, etc.: The troops will move out of the encampment at dawn.

  3. move over, to change or cause to change to another position, especially to make room for another: to make space by moving over.

  4. move up, to advance to a higher level.

Idioms about move

  1. get a move on, Informal.

    • to begin; act: We'd better get a move on before it rains.

    • to hurry; hasten.

  2. make one's move, Informal. to act, especially to assert oneself at an opportune time.

  1. on the move,

    • busy; active: on the move from morning till night.

    • going from place to place: Infantry units have been on the move all day.

    • advancing; progressing: an industry on the move.

  2. put moves on, Slang. to make sexual advances toward.: Also make a move on.

Origin of move

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English meven, moven, from Anglo-French mover, ultimately from Latin movēre

synonym study For move

1. See advance. 22. See motion.

Other words for move

Opposites for move

Other words from move

  • coun·ter·move, noun
  • coun·ter·move, verb, coun·ter·moved, coun·ter·mov·ing.
  • outmove, verb (used with object), out·moved, out·mov·ing.
  • un·moved, adjective

Words Nearby move

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use move in a sentence

  • Yet when I stop gazing the next impulse is to move on; for if I have time to rest anywhere, why not at home?

    Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
  • Why, the skule committy are goin' to hold a meetin' up here to say whether they'll move the skule house or the cats.

  • Aunt Ri was looking forward to the rest with great anticipation; she was heartily tired of being on the move.

    Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
  • Wait patiently until your side move over from the Opposition to the Government benches.

  • He was a good judge of men, that eagle-faced major; he knew that the slightest move with hostile intent would mean a smoking gun.

    Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for move

move

/ (muːv) /


verb
  1. to go or take from one place to another; change in location or position

  2. (usually intr) to change (one's dwelling, place of business, etc)

  1. to be or cause to be in motion; stir

  2. (intr) (of machines, etc) to work or operate

  3. (tr) to cause (to do something); prompt

  4. (intr) to begin to act: move soon or we'll lose the order

  5. (intr) to associate oneself with a specified social circle: to move in exalted spheres

  6. (intr) to make progress

  7. (tr) to arouse affection, pity, or compassion in; touch

  8. (in board games) to change the position of (a piece) or (of a piece) to change position

  9. (intr) (of merchandise) to be disposed of by being bought

  10. (when tr, often takes a clause as object; when intr, often foll by for) to suggest (a proposal) formally, as in debating or parliamentary procedure

  11. (intr; usually foll by on or along) to go away or to another place; leave

  12. to cause (the bowels) to evacuate or (of the bowels) to be evacuated

  13. (intr) informal to be exciting or active: the party started moving at twelve

  14. move heaven and earth to take every step possible (to achieve something)

noun
  1. the act of moving; movement

  2. one of a sequence of actions, usually part of a plan; manoeuvre

  1. the act of moving one's residence, place of business, etc

  2. (in board games)

    • a player's turn to move his piece or take other permitted action

    • a permitted manoeuvre of a piece

  3. get a move on informal

    • to get started

    • to hurry up

  4. make a move (usually used with a negative) informal to take even the slightest action: don't make a move without phoning me

  5. make one's move to commit oneself to a position or course of action

  6. on the move

    • travelling from place to place

    • advancing; succeeding

    • very active; busy

Origin of move

1
C13: from Anglo-French mover, from Latin movēre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with move

move

In addition to the idioms beginning with move

  • move a muscle
  • move heaven and earth
  • move in
  • move on
  • move up

also see:

  • get a move on
  • on the move

Also see undermover.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.