prime mover

See synonyms for prime mover on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Mechanics.

    • the initial agent, as wind or electricity, that puts a machine in motion.

    • a machine, as a water wheel or steam engine, that receives and modifies energy as supplied by some natural source.

  2. means of towing a cannon, as an animal, truck, or tractor.

  1. Also called unmoved mover. Aristotelianism. that which is the first cause of all movement and does not itself move.

  2. a person or thing that initiates or gives power and cohesion to something, as an idea, endeavor, or organization.

Origin of prime mover

1
First recorded in 1935–40

Words Nearby prime mover

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use prime mover in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prime mover (1 of 2)

prime mover

noun
  1. the original or primary force behind an idea, enterprise, etc

    • the source of power, such as fuel, wind, electricity, etc, for a machine

    • the means of extracting power from such a source, such as a steam engine, electric motor, etc

  1. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) that which is the cause of all movement

British Dictionary definitions for Prime Mover (2 of 2)

Prime Mover

noun
  1. the Prime Mover philosophy God, esp when considered as a first cause

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 prime mover

prime mover

The initial source of energy directed toward a goal, someone or something that sets others in motion. For example, Jean was the prime mover in getting us more laboratory space, or Patriotism was the prime mover of the revolution. [Late 1600s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.