motion
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,057 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 8,671 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals also: gesture
- a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something also: movement
- a change of position that does not entail a change of location also: movement, move, motility the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprisemovement is a sign of life
- a state of change they were in a state of steady motion
- a formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote also: question he made a motion to adjournshe called for the question
- the act of changing location from one place to another also: movement, move police controlled the motion of the crowdthe movement of people from the farms to the cities
verb
- show, express or direct through movement also: gesticulate, gesture He gestured his desire to leave
motion in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The voice was vulgar, the motion common.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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There is plenty of poetry in both spectacles--the poetry of motion.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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There was a quiver in the hindlegs, but no other motion.
In the Wilderness · Charles Dudley Warner · Chapter 1
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The group swayed, reeled, turning upon itself with the motion of a scrimmage, in a haze of tobacco smoke.
The nigger of the "Narcissus" · Joseph Conrad · Chapter 1
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The motion was very rapid; the ant returned it by shaking his antennae, but more gently, and by opening his mandibles.
Piccolissima · Adélaïde de Montgolfier · Chapter 1