motion

[ moh-shuhn ]

/ ˈmoʊ ʃən /

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See synonyms for motion on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR motion

3 bearing, carriage.

See synonyms for motion on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

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

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM motion

mo·tion·al, adjectivemo·tion·er, nounin·ter·mo·tion, nounnon·mo·tion, noun

self-motion, nounun·der·mo·tion, nounun·mo·tioned, adjectiveun·mo·tion·ing, adjective

Words nearby motion

mothy, Mo Ti, motif, motile, motility, motion, motion capture, motionless, motion picture, motion sickness, motion study

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.
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
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|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
In this situation we waited the motion of the enemy, without perceiving any advancement they made towards us.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
These sections also have vibrations of their own which are of shorter length and more rapid motion.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Felipe watched over her as a lover might; her great mournful eyes followed his every motion.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
At six o'clock I felt once more the welcome motion of a Railroad car, and at eight was in Venice.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The 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)

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

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 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 motion operational 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)

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

motion

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

motion

OTHER WORDS FOR motion

Idioms about motion

Origin of motion

synonym study for motion

OTHER WORDS FROM motion

Words nearby motion

Words related to motion

How to use motion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for motion (1 of 2)

Derived forms of motion

Word Origin for motion

British Dictionary definitions for motion (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with motion