motive power
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noun
any power used to impart motion; any source of mechanical energy.
Railroads. locomotives or other vehicles that supply tractive power.
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The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Origin of motive power
First recorded in 1615–25
Words nearby motive power
motivate, motivation, motivational research, motivation research, motive, motive power, motivic, motivity, mot juste, Motlanthe, motley
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for motive power
British Dictionary definitions for motive power
motive power
noun
any source of energy used to produce motion
the means of supplying power to an engine, vehicle, etc
any driving force
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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