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• motion
  motion

  noun

  the action or process of moving or of changing place or position; movement.
• Motion
  Motion

  noun

  Sir Andrew. born 1952, British poet and biographer; his collections include Pleasure Steamers (1978) and Public Property (2002): poet laureate (1999–2009)

motion

American  

[moh-shuhn] / ˈmoʊ ʃən /

noun

• motions
  plural

1. the action or process of moving or of changing place or position; movement.

2. power of movement, as of a living body.

3. the manner of moving the body in walking; gait.

   Synonyms:

   carriage, bearing

4. a bodily movement or change of posture; gesture.

5. a proposal formally made to a deliberative assembly.

   to make a motion to adjourn.

6. Law. an application made to a court or judge for an order, ruling, or the like.

7. a suggestion or proposal.

8. an inward prompting or impulse; inclination.

   He will go only of his own motion.

9. Music. melodic progression, as the change of a voice part from one pitch to another.

10. Machinery.

    1. a piece of mechanism with a particular action or function.

    2. the action of such a mechanism.

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verb (used with object)

• motions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• motioned,
  past participle,  past
• motioning
  present participle

1. to direct by a significant motion or gesture, as with the hand.

   to motion a person to a seat.

verb (used without object)

• motions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• motioned,
  past participle,  past
• motioning
  present participle

1. to make a meaningful motion, as with the hand; gesture; signal.

   to motion to someone to come.

idioms

1. go through the motions, to do something halfheartedly, routinely, or as a formality or façade.

2. in motion, in active operation; moving.

   The train was already in motion when he tried to board it.

motion ¹ British  

/ ˈməʊʃən /

noun

1. the process of continual change in the physical position of an object; movement

   linear motion

2. a movement or action, esp of part of the human body; a gesture

3. 1. the capacity for movement

   2. a manner of movement, esp walking; gait

4. a mental impulse

5. a formal proposal to be discussed and voted on in a debate, meeting, etc

6. law an application made to a judge or court for an order or ruling necessary to the conduct of legal proceedings

7. 1. the evacuation of the bowels

   2. excrement

8. 1. part of a moving mechanism

   2. the action of such a part

9. music the 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 motion See also parallel

10. 1. to act or perform the task (of doing something) mechanically or without sincerity

    2. to mimic the action (of something) by gesture

11. operational or functioning (often in the phrases set in motion, set the wheels in motion )

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verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to signal or direct (a person) by a movement or gesture

Motion ² British  

/ ˈməʊʃən /

noun

1. Sir Andrew. born 1952, British poet and biographer; his collections include Pleasure Steamers (1978) and Public Property (2002): poet laureate (1999–2009)

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motion More Idioms  

1. see go through the motions; set in motion; set the wheels in motion.

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Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intermotion
  noun
• motioner
  noun
• nonmotion
  noun
• self-motion
  noun
• undermotion
  noun
• motional
  adjective
• unmotioned
  adjective
• unmotioning
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• motions
  plural

Participles

• motioning
  present
• motioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• motion
  simple
• motions
  simple
• have motioned
  perfect
• has motioned
  perfect
• am motioning
  progressive
• are motioning
  progressive
• is motioning
  progressive
• have been motioning
  perfect progressive
• has been motioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• motioned
  simple
• had motioned
  perfect
• was motioning
  progressive
• were motioning
  progressive
• had been motioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will motion
  simple
• will have motioned
  perfect
• will be motioning
  progressive
• will have been motioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

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 movēre move ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Motion is the way things get from place to place. The ball rolling down a hill is in motion, and as Isaac Newton once proved, it will remain in motion until it hits a wall or something else that makes it stop. When motion is used as a noun, it describes movement, like the motion that propels a car from one end of the highway to another. When used as a verb, motion means to signal or direct. "A restaurant patron will motion to the server when he's ready for the check." Someone who is just "going through the motions" doesn't have to move at all, because they're just pretending.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

motion Motion motions motioned motioning

The motion also leaves UC as a major holdout after a string of settlements in which universities facing antisemitism investigations agreed to pay a combined total of hundreds of millions of dollars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

"This suggests that they are detecting the particle motion associated with sound even at considerable distances from the source -- something we have not previously been able to demonstrate in free-swimming sharks."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

"AI was not used to generate the experimental movie, the cilia, or their motion," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Discovery once the $81 billion deal closes—as David Ellison continues to set plans in motion for his growing media and entertainment empire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

“I should probably—” I motion to the door.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Nikon's annual Small World In Motion contest accepts photos and video taken using powerful microscopes, and has run annually for the last 15 years.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Nikon's annual Small World In Motion competition is open to anyone around the world with an interest in film or time-lapse photography through a microscope.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

A federal film and television tax credit could boost U.S. production spending by $125 billion and add more than 143,000 jobs by 2035, according to a new study commissioned by the Motion Picture Assn.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

He’s never settled into a particular genre and, perhaps due to that wide-ranging restlessness, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be awarding him an honorary Oscar in November.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

There was a great Motion in the Camp & we all fell out & our Company was placed beside a line of Wagons.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

With all their motions and misdirections, the Chargers are developing a knack for making simple situations look dauntingly complex.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

"Mohammad's team and the other defence teams will file motions to suppress some of these categories of evidence, as well."

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

A lawyer herself, Harris notes that because the country already has 13 intermediate courts of appeal, a 13-member Supreme Court would allow each justice to review motions from a lower court one-to-one.

From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026

The letter comes days before the parties are expected to submit new motions asking the judge to rule in their favor on at least some of their core arguments, after completing discovery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

My aunt turns down the burner and motions for us to sit at the polished wooden table.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Within seconds of our arrival, they motioned for us to stop filming.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Finally, he motioned the audience to stop, like, “OK. OK. Enough. Let’s go have dinner and a drink.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026

During a dinner in September with heads of major technology companies, Trump took questions from the press and motioned with his hand for a reporter to speak up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026

Soldiers were always nearby when AFP spoke to locals and on one occasion in Bariire motioned a woman to say no when asked if she feared Al-Shabaab's possible return.

From Barron's ● Nov. 18, 2025

Then she motioned at Pond to approach the fireplace in the middle of the hogan.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

“You’ve got to park in this monster,” he said, motioning to the acres of asphalt around him, “and then go find your seat in that monster.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

"Ok," said Trump as Rubio went back to his seat, motioning for reporters to be quiet as they shouted questions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2025

"This should all be underwater," he says, motioning towards the parched expanse of exposed white rocks.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2025

“He did something that very few directors do, where they come and sit by the camera,” recalls Hoult, motioning to indicate just how close the 94-year-old director would be to him on set.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2024

Leroy went through the doorway to the second room, motioning Stick to follow.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• plan
• proposal
• proposition
• recommendation
• submission