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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

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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

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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

Prosecutors rebutted Busfield’s allegations in a response to the dismissal and asked the court to deny his motion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Not only am I not finding barf bags in the seat pocket, I’m also finding trash from prior passengers,” the 31-year-old motion designer from Atlanta said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

By using these atomic steps as natural guiding tracks, scientists may be able to control vortex motion with remarkable precision.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke announced Friday that the state filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit by the neighboring state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

We shared quick, hard hugs, and then they put everything in motion.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Motion capture cameras recorded their movements in detail, allowing the researchers to analyze how different walking styles affected the knee.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

An earlier study commissioned by the Motion Picture Assn. estimated that 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.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Motion Picture Group co-chairs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca, aren’t staying with the company once its sale to Paramount closes, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

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

The title of the draft book was On Motion, but the draft bears little resemblance to the book Galileo published under the same title some years later.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

“This is one area we’re not quite confident in,” Pinkerton said as we watched the robot attempt to align a glass on the dishwasher’s prongs with motions suggestive of a claw-machine arm.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

But he’s a caring sort, even if he’s going through the motions, who believes that “integrity and respect and honesty are the key measures of character.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

Then begins the methodical massage in circular motions seemingly draining fluid away.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 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

Then I went through the motions of opening my fan and doing a couple of turns before I stepped down.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

She motioned to the Egyptian busts and said: "These heads, they talk to me."

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Melonie Walcott, an HIV researcher, held an imaginary fishing rod and motioned reeling in a catch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Baffert said as he stood in the winner’s circle and motioned to the grandstand, which was crowded with an announced 41,962 fans, the largest opening day audience since 2016.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 28, 2025

During parts of Sunday’s game in Utah, James desperately motioned toward the Lakers bench for a sub.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2025

She pulled the wires wider and motioned with her head.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

“Is it possible to go farther in that direction?” he asked the soldier, motioning toward Ukrainian territory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

"Silencio" the rescuers scream turning towards the road with their fists up in the air, motioning to everyone to remain silent.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

Philadelphia’s Edmundo Sosa sauntered out of the box, motioning with one hand in a pump-wave in front of 51,794 Dodgers fans.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 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 is so good, Ivy,” Taryn said after a few seconds, motioning toward My Letter to the World.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake

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