motion
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.
to direct by a significant motion or gesture, as with the hand: to motion a person to a seat.
to make a meaningful motion, as with the hand; gesture; signal: to motion to someone to come.
Idioms about 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
1synonym study For motion
Other words for motion
Other words from motion
- mo·tion·al, adjective
- mo·tion·er, noun
- in·ter·mo·tion, noun
- non·mo·tion, noun
- self-motion, noun
- un·der·mo·tion, noun
- un·mo·tioned, adjective
- un·mo·tion·ing, adjective
Words Nearby motion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use motion in a sentence
Every frame looks like an ukiyo-e print in motion, kinetic and untethered to the physical world.
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 | ProPublicaOur 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 StudentsThe 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 StudentsTo 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 | THE DAILY BEASTThe train was already in motion as she tried to step inside, and her body was crushed beneath it.
Stop-motion animation artist PES has unveiled a new short this week.
‘Sexual’ Barbershop Quartet, a Panda Family Reunion, and More Viral Videos | The Daily Beast Video | December 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut what he did set in motion a series of events that ended in his life being lost.
This year McQueen picked up three Oscars (including best picture) for his third motion picture 12 Years A Slave.
In this situation we waited the motion of the enemy, without perceiving any advancement they made towards us.
These sections also have vibrations of their own which are of shorter length and more rapid motion.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickFelipe watched over her as a lover might; her great mournful eyes followed his every motion.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonAt six o'clock I felt once more the welcome motion of a Railroad car, and at eight was in Venice.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyThe first jolt had like to have shaken me out of my hammock, but afterwards the motion was easy enough.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan Swift
British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)
/ (ˈməʊʃən) /
the process of continual change in the physical position of an object; movement: linear 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
law an 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
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 (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 motion operational or functioning (often in the phrases set in motion, set the wheels in motion)
(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to signal or direct (a person) by a movement or gesture
Origin of motion
1Derived forms of motion
- motional, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for Motion (2 of 2)
/ (ˈməʊʃən) /
Sir Andrew. born 1952, British poet and biographer; his collections include Pleasure Steamers (1978) and Public Property (2002): poet laureate (1999–2009)
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 motion
see go through the motions; set in motion; set the wheels in motion.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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