1. (n.) That which moves; a mover.

2. (n.) That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choice, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object.

3. (n.) The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is developed. See Leading.

4. (n.) That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one.

5. (a.) Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.

6. (v. t.) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

activating active actuating aim ambition angle animating animus antecedent argument aspiration attraction basis burden case causal causative cause chapter compelling concern consideration counsel desideration desideratum design desire determinant determination device directive driving effect emotion end enticement essence feeling figure fixed purpose focus of attention focus of interest function gist goad goal grounds head heading idea impellent impelling impulsive in motion incentive incitement inducement inducive influence intendment intent intention issue kinetic leitmotiv living issue lure main point matter matter in hand meaning meat mind mobile motif motile motivating motivating force motivation motivational motor moving nisus object objective operative passion pattern phrase plan point point at issue point in question pressing problem prod project propellant propelling proposal propulsive propulsory prospectus pulsive purpose pushing question rationale reason resolution resolve rubric sake shoving spring spur stimulation stimulus stirring striving study subject subject matter subject of thought substance text theme thrusting topic transitional traveling urge urgent view will