Roget's Thesaurus: Entry 615 (Motive)

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#615. Motive. -- N. motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action.

reason, ground, call, principle; by end, by purpose; mainspring, primum mobile[Lat], keystone; the why and the wherefore; pro and con, reason why; secret motive, arriere pensee[Fr]; intention &c. 620.

inducement, consideration; attraction; loadstone; magnet, magnetism, magnetic force; allectation|, allective|; temptation, enticement, agacerie[obs], allurement, witchery; bewitchment, bewitchery; charm; spell &c. 993; fascination, blandishment, cajolery; seduction, seducement; honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple.

persuasibility[obs], persuasibleness[obs]; attractability[obs]; impressibility, susceptibility; softness; persuasiveness, attractiveness; tantalization[obs]. influence, prompting, dictate, instance; impulse, impulsion; incitement, incitation; press, instigation; provocation &c. (excitation of feeling) 824; inspiration; persuasion, suasion; encouragement, advocacy; exhortation; advice &c. 695; solicitation &c. (request) 765; lobbyism; pull*.

incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus[obs], rowel, provocative, whet, dram.

bribe, lure; decoy, decoy duck; bait, trail of a red herring; bribery and corruption; sop, sop for Cerberus.

prompter, tempter; seducer, seductor[obs]; instigator, firebrand, incendiary; Siren, Circe; agent provocateur; lobbyist.

V. induce, move; draw, draw on; bring in its train, give an impulse &c. n.; to; inspire; put up to, prompt, call up; attract, beckon.

stimulate &c. (excite) 824; spirit up, inspirit; rouse, arouse; animate, incite, foment, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate;.act upon, work upon, operate upon; encourage; pat on the back, pat on the shoulder, clap on the back, clap on the shoulder.

influence, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate; lead by the nose; have influence with, have influence over, have influence upon, exercise influence with, exercise influence over, exercise influence upon; go round, come round one; turn the head, magnetize; lobby.

persuade; prevail with, prevail upon; overcome, carry; bring round to one's senses, bring to one's senses; draw over, win over, gain over, come over, talk over; procure, enlist, engage; invite, court.

tempt, seduce, overpersuade[obs], entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure; inveigle; tantalize; cajole &c. (deceive) 545.

tamper with, bribe, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook.

enforce, force; impel &c. (push) 276; propel &c. 284; whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge; egg on, hound , hurry on; drag &c. 285; exhort; advise &c. 695; call upon &c. press &c. (request) 765; advocate.

set an example, set the fashion; keep in countenance.

be persuaded &c.; yield to temptation, come round; concede &c. (consent) 762; obey a call; follow advice, follow the bent,.follow the dictates of; act on principle.

Adj. impulsive, motive; suasive, suasory[obs], persuasive, persuasory[obs], hortative, hortatory; protreptical|; inviting, tempting, &c. v.; suasive, suasory[obs]; seductive, attractive; fascinating &c. (pleasing) 829; provocative &c. (exciting) 824.

induced &c. v.; disposed; persuadable &c. (docile) 602; spellbound; instinct with, smitten with, infatuated; inspired &c. v.; by.

Adv. because, therefore &c. (cause) 155; from this motive, from that motive; for this reason, for that reason; for; by reason of, for the sake of, count of; out of, from, as, forasmuch as.

for all the world; on principle.

Phr. fax mentis incendium gloriae[Lat]; "temptation hath a music for all ears" "to beguile many and be beguiled by one" [Willis][Othello]. #615a. Absence of Motive. -- N. absence of motive, aimlessness; caprice &c. 608; chance &c. (absence of design) 621.

V. have no motive; scruple &c. (be unwilling) 603.

Adj. without rhyme or reason; aimless, capricious, whimsical &c. (chance) 621.

Adv. out of mere caprice.