🔍 牛津詞典
🔍 朗文詞典
🔍 劍橋詞典
🔍 柯林斯詞典
🔍 麥美倫詞典
🔍 韋氏詞典 🎯

檢索以下詞典：
(Mr. Ng 不推薦使用 Google 翻譯！)
最近搜尋：
TOEFL BNC: 3406 COCA: 3578

motive
1 motive /ˈmoʊtɪv/ noun
plural motives
1 motive
/ˈmoʊtɪv/
noun
plural motives
Learner's definition of MOTIVE
[count]
: a reason for doing something动机；缘由
— often + for

— motiveless

/ˈmoʊtɪvləs/ adjective
2 motive /ˈmoʊtɪv/ adjective
2 motive
/ˈmoʊtɪv/
adjective
Learner's definition of MOTIVE
always used before a noun technical
: of, relating to, or causing motion运动的；产生运动的
TOEFL BNC: 3406 COCA: 3578

motive

1 of 3

noun

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
sense 2 is also
mō-ˈtēv How to pronounce motive (audio)
1
: something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person to act
Revenge was the murderer's motive.
2
: a recurrent phrase or figure that is developed through the course of a musical composition
3
: motif
the composition's recurring flute motive
motiveless
ˈmō-tiv-ləs How to pronounce motive (audio)
adjective
motivelessly adverb
motivic
mō-ˈtē-vik How to pronounce motive (audio)
adjective

motive

2 of 3

adjective

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
1
: of or relating to motion or the causing of motion
motive energy
2
: moving or tending to move to action

motive

3 of 3

verb

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
motived; motiving

transitive verb

: motivate

Synonyms

Noun

Choose the Right Synonym for motive

motive, impulse, incentive, inducement, spur, goad mean a stimulus to action.

motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

Example Sentences

Noun Their motive in running away was to avoid being punished. I think he's guilty of the crime. He had the motive, the means, and the opportunity. She denied that her offer to help was based on selfish motives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Despite solving two major pieces of the case, the motive remains a mystery, Joe Montgomery, special agent in charge of the GBI's Region 1 Investigative Office, said Tuesday. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2022 The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, police said. Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2022 Pan has not entered a plea on the murder charge, and a motive for the killing remains unclear. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2022 The motive for the killing remains a mystery, according to prosecutors. Matt Bruce, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 The motive for the students’ abduction remains a subject of debate. Maria Verza, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2022 While the motive behind Friday's stabbing remains under investigation, New York's governor condemned the attack. Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 15 Aug. 2022 No arrests have been made and police a motive for the shooting remains unclear. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 28 July 2022 The motive remains unclear after an armed bystander fatally shot the gunman, police say, in a rare instance of a civilian stopping a mass shooting. James Bikales, Washington Post, 18 July 2022
Adjective
The sheriff's office said that no motive or suspect information has been determined yet, and the investigation continues. Chron, 18 July 2022 Indeed, while there may well be a Chinese connection as far as whoever coded the ransomware software itself is concerned, that doesn't mean the group has any motive other than criminal financial gain. Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2022 Investigators haven't pinpointed motive for the attack. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 31 July 2022 The jury found the prosecution’s claims about Schulte’s motive convincing, Flores said. Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 26 July 2022 Waters nor other representatives with the attorney general’s office disclosed any evidence, motive or shared statements. John Monk, al, 20 July 2022 Police said the motive and other circumstances were under investigation. David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2022 Prosecutors argued evidence showed Harris had motive to kill his son. Amir Vera, CNN, 22 June 2022 Detectives are seeking to identify a suspect and motive, and a reward is being offered of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment. Nick Anderson, Washington Post, 4 June 2022
Verb
The coming together of both aspects of his game has also led him to become more vocal on the court, both to keep himself motivated and to motive others. oregonlive, 5 Aug. 2020 Defense attorneys tried to get those allegations blocked by the court, but U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan ruled the allegations were relevant to whether campaign money was spent illegally and spoke to motive and intent. Arkansas Online, 2 Dec. 2019 Police did not immediately offer information as to motive or suspect description. Keri Blakinger, Houston Chronicle, 21 Jan. 2018 Of course, with all reports like this, speculation as to motive for such stories must be questioned. Mark Heim, AL.com, 12 Oct. 2017 My photography is first and foremost a catalyst or reason to motive human action. Olivier Laurent, Time, 30 June 2017 See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French motif, motive, from motif, adjective, moving, from Medieval Latin motivus, from Latin motus, past participle of movēre to move

Adjective

Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French motif, from Medieval Latin motivus

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1657, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motive was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing motive
TOEFL BNC: 3406 COCA: 3578
motive

noun

ADJECTIVE | VERB + MOTIVE | MOTIVE + VERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASES ADJECTIVE➤hidden, ulterior隱藏的／別有用心的目的➤good, strong良好的／強烈的動機◇I'd say he had a very strong motive for wanting her dead.可以說他謀殺她的動機很強烈。➤altruistic, high, noble, pure利他的動機；崇高的動機；高尚的動機；純粹的目的◇He was acting from the noblest of motives when he offered her money.他給她錢出自最高尚的動機。➤base (formal) , selfish卑鄙的目的；自私的動機➤evil, sinister邪惡的／陰險的動機➤questionable可疑的動機➤main, primary, prime主要的／首要的／最主要的動機➤real, true真正的目的➤clear, obvious清楚的／明顯的動機◇There seemed to be no clear motive for the attack.這次攻擊似乎沒有明確的動機。➤underlying潛在的動機◇She was not sure what his underlying motives were.她吃不準他有什麼潛在的動機。➤mixed混雜的動機◇We give aid to other countries with mixed motives.我們援助他國是出於多種原因。➤human人類動機➤personal個人目的➤economic, financial, political, racial, religious經濟動機；金融目的；政治動機；種族主義目的；宗教動機➤profit利潤動機VERB + MOTIVE➤be inspired by, have受⋯動機驅使；有⋯目的◇She knew that he was inspired by base motives.她知道他動機卑鄙。➤establish, find, find out, suggest確定動機；找到動機；查明動機；表明是⋯目的◇The police are still trying to establish a motive for the attack.警方仍在試圖確定襲擊的目的。➤provide提供動機◇There must be something which provided a motive for these killings.肯定有什麼事提供了這些殺人兇案的動機。➤be suspicious of, examine, impugn (formal) , question, suspect懷疑動機；審視動機；質疑動機；猜想動機◇He was suspicious of her motives in inviting him into the house.他對於她邀請他進屋的動機有所懷疑。◇She should examine her motives for marrying him.她應該認真考慮自己為什麼要嫁給他。➤hide隱藏動機◇We've become adept at hiding our true motives.我們已經變得很善於隱藏自己的真實動機了。➤explain解釋動機◇However you explain the motives behind his actions, he was still wrong.不管你如何解釋他行為背後的動機，他仍舊是錯了。➤reveal揭露動機➤know, see, understand知道／看清／理解動機◇Everyone can see your true motives.每個人都能看清你的真實動機。MOTIVE + VERB➤drive sb/sth動機驅使⋯◇speculation that less noble motives were driving the country's foreign policy認為驅動該國外交政策的動機不夠高尚的推測PREPOSITION➤motive in在⋯方面的動機◇What was their motive in setting fire to the building?他們放火燒大樓的動機是什麼？➤motive behind⋯背後的動機◇There is no doubt about the motive behind it all.這一切背後的動機是毋庸置疑的。➤motive for⋯的目的◇There may be a hidden motive for his departure.也許他的離開有我們所不知道的原因。➤motive of⋯的目的◇It is clear that they were acting from motives of revenge.很顯然他們的行為是出於報復。PHRASES➤a variety of motives各種動機◇I did it for a variety of motives.我那樣做有多種原因。

👨🏻‍🏫 Mr. Ng 韋氏詞典 📚 – mw.mister5️⃣.net
切換為繁體中文
Site Uptime