Motive Definition
motive
adjective
- causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy"
- impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments"
noun
- the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives"
- a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
- a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration
"Motive" in song lyrics
See how motive is used in real songs:
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"Left an ounce on the scene, now they figure dope was the motive"
Bootleg — Death Before Dishonesty -
"The sound of magic ransacks with no motive"
Drapht f/ Porsah Lane — Can't Escape -
"Bring ho's out the closet, my dough give chicks motive"
Jaz-O (Jaz) f/ Dibiase, Jay-Z — Let's Go
Words that rhyme with motive
Usage tips for "motive"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "motive" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for motive to find words that pair well.