motion

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U,sing.] the act or process of moving or the way sth moves: Newton's laws of motion * The swaying motion of the ship was making me feel seasick. * (formal) Do not alight while the train is still in motion (= moving). * Rub the cream in with a circular motion. seealsoSLOWMOTION 2 [C] a particular movement made usually with your hand or your head, especially to communicate sth SYNGESTURE: At a single motion of his hand, the room fell silent. * She made a sawing motion with her hand. 3 [C] a formal proposal that is discussed and voted on at a meeting: to table / put forward a motion * to propose a motion (= to be the main speaker in favour of a motion) * The motion was adopted / carried by six votes to one. 4 [C] (BrE, formal) an act of emptying the bowels; the waste matter that is emptied from the bowels IDIOMS go through the motions (of doing sth) to do or say sth because you have to, not because you really want to set / put sth in motion to start sth moving: They set the machinery in motion. * (figurative) The wheels of change have been set in motion. verb ~ to sb (to do sth)