I. mo ‧ tive 1 AC /ˈməʊtɪv $ ˈmoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ motivated , ↑ motivational , ↑ motiveless ; noun : ↑ motive , ↑ motivation ; verb : ↑ motivate ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: motif , from motif 'moving' ; ⇨ ↑ motive 2 ]
1 . the reason that makes someone do something, especially when this reason is kept hidden:
What do you suppose the killer’s motive was?
motive for (doing) something
The police believe the motive for this murder was jealousy.
motive behind
The motives behind the decision remain obscure.
The violence was clearly prompted by political motives.
It’s not the kind of thing he’d do unless he had an ulterior motive (=a reason he kept hidden) .
2 . a ↑ motif
—motiveless adjective :
an apparently motiveless killing
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a strong motive
Barbara had a strong motive for disliking Ben.
▪ the main motive
The main motive for the killings seemed to be revenge.
▪ the prime/primary motive (=the main motive)
Concern was her prime motive in visiting Mrs Green.
▪ a possible motive
The police are still thinking about possible motives for the murders.
▪ a clear motive
She had no clear motive to lie.
▪ a hidden motive
She wondered if there was a hidden motive for his departure.
▪ an ulterior motive (=a hidden motive)
Did you think I had an ulterior motive for coming here?
▪ sb’s real/true motive
What were his true motives for offering her the job?
▪ an underlying motive (=a motive that is not directly stated)
The treaty’s underlying motive was to make Japan a strong ally of the US.
▪ a political motive
The murders might have a political motive.
▪ an economic motive
Many people believed that there were economic motives to the decision to go to war.
▪ mixed motives
He had mixed motives for joining the army: a desire to prove himself, but also the desire to get away from his family.
■ verbs
▪ have a motive
Who might have had a motive for killing him?
▪ question/suspect sb’s motive (=think that someone might have selfish or dishonest reasons for doing something)
They began to question the motives of the people who held positions of power.
▪ find/establish a motive
So far the police have been unable to establish a motive for the murder.
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THESAURUS
▪ reason why something happens, or why someone does something:
What was the reason for the delay?
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I don’t know the reason why he left his last job.
▪ explanation a set of reasons that helps you to understand why something happens, especially when it seems difficult to understand:
There are various possible explanations for climate change.
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Is there any explanation for his behavior?
▪ motive a reason that makes someone decide to do something – often used about crimes:
Police say that there is no obvious motive for the attack.
▪ justification a good reason for doing something that seems wrong:
There is never any justification for torture or abuse.
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They try to use the situation in the Middle East as a justification for killing innocent civilians.
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There’s no justification for this type of behaviour.
▪ grounds a reason that makes it right or fair to do something, especially according to legal, official, or moral rules:
The court will decide if she has grounds for divorce.
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They claim the war is justified on moral grounds (=because of moral reasons) .
▪ basis the main ideas or reasons on which something is based:
The doctor makes his decisions purely on the basis of clinical observation.
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What do you think is the basis for this advice?
▪ rationale /ˌræʃəˈnɑːl $ -ˈnæl/ formal a set of reasons that are used to explain why someone does something in a particular way:
the rationale behind the government’s economic reforms
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This chapter explains the nature of yearly plans, and provides a rationale for their use.
II. motive 2 AC BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: motif , from Medieval Latin motivus , from Latin motus ; ⇨ ↑ motor 1 ]
technical the motive power or force for a machine, vehicle etc makes it move:
Water provided the motive power for the mill.