Webster's English Dictionary

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motive

1. mo.tive \'mo-t-iv, 2 is also mo--'te-v\ \-l*s\ n [ME, fr. MF motif, fr. 
   motif, adj., moving] 1: something (as a need or desire) that causes a 
   person to act  2: a recurrent thematic fragment usu. treated 
   developmentally in a musical  compositionEMENT, SPUR, GOAD mean a stimulus 
   to action. MOTIVE implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and 
   causing it to act; SPRING, usu. in the plural, suggests a basic motive, 
   often one not fully recognized; IMPULSE suggests a driving power arising 
   from personal temperament or constitution; INCENTIVE applies to an external 
   influence (as an expected reward) inciting to action; INDUCEMENT suggests a 
   motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another; 
   SPUR applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy 
   or ardor; GOAD suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or 
   desire - mo.tive.less aj SYN syn MOTIVE, SPRING, IMPULSE, INCENTIVE, INDUC 
2. mo.tive \'mo-t-iv\ aj [MF or ML; MF motif, fr. ML motivus, fr. L motus, 
   pp.] 1: moving or tending to move to action  2: of or relating to motion or 
   the causing of motion {~ energy} 
3. mo.tive \'mo-t-iv\ vt : MOTIVATE