Roget's Thesaurus

#615. Motive

Nouns

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 etc. 620. inducement, consideration; attraction; loadstone; magnet, magnetism, magnetic force; allectation, allective; temptation, enticement, agacerie, allurement, witchery; bewitchment, bewitchery; charm; spell etc. 993; fascination, blandishment, cajolery; seduction, seducement; honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens, forbidden fruit, golden apple. persuasibility, persuasibleness; attractability; impressibility, susceptibility; softness; persuasiveness, attractiveness; tantalization. influence, prompting, dictate, instance; impulse, impulsion; incitement, incitation; press, instigation; provocation etc. (excitation of feeling) 824; inspiration; persuasion, suasion; encouragement, advocacy; exhortation; advice etc. 695; solicitation etc. (request) 765; lobbyism; pull [Slang]. incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus, 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; instigator, firebrand, incendiary; Siren, Circe; agent provocateur; lobbyist.

Verbs

induce, move; draw, draw on; bring in its train, give an impulse etc. n.; to; inspire; put up to, prompt, call up; attract, beckon. stimulate etc. (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, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure; inveigle; tantalize; cajole etc. (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 etc. (push) 276; propel etc. 284; whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge; egg on, hound, hurry on; drag etc. 285; exhort; advise etc. 695; call upon etc.; press etc. (request) 765; advocate. set an example, set the fashion; keep in countenance. be persuaded etc.; yield to temptation, come round; concede etc. (consent) 762; obey a call; follow advice, follow the bent, follow the dictates of; act on principle.

Adjectives

impulsive, motive; suasive, suasory, persuasive, persuasory, hortative, hortatory; protreptical; inviting, tempting, etc. v.; suasive, suasory; seductive, attractive; fascinating etc. (pleasing) 829; provocative etc. (exciting) 824. induced etc. v.; disposed; persuadable etc. (docile) 602; spellbound; instinct with, smitten with, infatuated; inspired etc. v.; by.

Adverbs

because, therefore etc. (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.

Phrases

fax mentis incendium gloriae [Lat.]; temptation hath a music for all ears [Willis]; to beguile many and be beguiled by one [Othello].

#615a. Absence of Motive

Nouns

absence of motive, aimlessness; caprice etc. 608; chance etc. (absence of design) 621.

Verbs

have no motive; scruple etc. (be unwilling) 603.

Adjectives

without rhyme or reason; aimless, capricious, whimsical etc. (chance) 621.

Adverbs

out of mere caprice.