mo·tion
(mṓshən)
[Middle English mocioun, from Old French motion, from Latin mōtiō, mōtiōn-, from mōtus past participle of movēre, to move.]
noun
- The act or process of changing position or place.
- A meaningful or expressive change in the position of the body or a part of the body; a gesture.
- Active operation: set the plan in motion.
- The ability or power to move: lost motion in his arm.
- The manner in which the body moves, as in walking.
- A prompting from within; an impulse or inclination: resigned of her own motion.
- Music Melodic ascent and descent of pitch.
- Law An application made to a court for an order or a ruling.
- A formal proposal put to the vote under parliamentary procedures.
- A mechanical device or piece of machinery that moves or causes motion; a mechanism.
- The movement or action of such a device.
verb: -tioned, -tion·ing, -tions.
transitive verb
- To direct by making a gesture: motioned us to our seats.
intransitive verb
- To signal by making a gesture: motioned to her to enter.
idioms
- go through the motions
- To do something in a mechanical manner indicative of a lack of interest or involvement.
