motives

motives — noun

1. the purpose, private interest, or feeling that makes someone choose to do someth

1.名詞B2
釋義

the purpose, private interest, or feeling that makes someone choose to do something in a particular way.

例句

Detectives searched the emails for any motive behind the missing cash.

motive behind + noun phrase

Nadia's only motive for taking the night shift was the extra pay.

motive for + -ing

同義詞
  • reason

    broader and more neutral; it can explain any situation, not only someone's inner drive

  • incentive

    usually an outside reward or pressure rather than a personal inner cause

  • impulse

    suggests a sudden urge, not a more settled purpose

文法句型

motive for + noun/-ing

motive behind + noun phrase

question someone's motives

用法筆記

Often followed by 'for' or 'behind', and very common in discussions of crime, politics, or personal trust. Distinguish from 'reason': a motive is usually the inner drive behind an action, not just the explanation someone gives.

常見錯誤

❌My motive for missing class was a fever.
✅My reason for missing class was a fever.
💡use 'motive' for the drive behind an intentional action, not for a simple factual explanation.

2. a short sound pattern, image, or shape that comes back several times in music, a

2.名詞C1
釋義

a short sound pattern, image, or shape that comes back several times in music, art, or decoration.

例句

A rising piano motive returns whenever the film's hero appears on screen.

musical motive repeated through a work

The red bird motive appears on every bowl in Devika's pottery set.

visual design motive

同義詞
  • motif

    the closest synonym and the more usual form in modern art discussion

  • theme

    broader and more abstract; it can describe an idea, not only a repeated pattern

  • figure

    often used for a short musical or decorative pattern inside a larger work

文法句型

opening / repeated + motive

motive returns / repeats

motive in + artwork / design

用法筆記

Usually modified by a word naming the sound or picture itself, such as 'piano', 'flower', or 'wave'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a repeated artistic element, not a reason for someone's behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌The song's main motive was jealousy.
✅The song's main motive was a four-note pattern.
💡in music or design, this sense is about a repeated element, not a person's reason.

motives — adjective