The Collaborative International Dictionary
Motive \Mo"tive\, a.
Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as,
a motive argument; motive power. ``Motive faculty.''
--Bp.
Wilkins.
Motive power (Mach.), a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover.
Wiktionary
n. The power that enables something to move; also used in a figurative sense.
WordNet
n. the power or ability to move [syn: locomotion, motivity]
Wikipedia
Motive Power is a bi-monthly railway related magazine that focuses on diesel locomotives in Australia. The first issue was published on 23 August 1998. Its headquarters is in Sydney. The content includes photographs of locomotives & trains, news about newly delivered and repainted locomotives, technical articles, and fleet listings of the various Australian railway operators. Articles about railway photography itself are sometimes included, as well as articles and advertisements about railway modelling.
Motive power can refer to:
- Motive power, the thermodynamics concept
- A colloquial term for a railway locomotive
- Motive Power, an Australian railway magazine
- Electric Motive Power, an English electric car
- MotivePower Industries, a company now part of Wabtec
Usage examples of "motive power".
The sudden shortage of motive power brought me to a stop in front of the forbidding little store, and a little maneuvering back and forth cleared the road's fairway of the bulk of my machine.
He had been the motive power of every step she had taken in these rooms.
I wouldn't be surprised if she was the main motive power behind the case against him.
Though clumsy, the tube could generate considerable forward velocity, for the motive power of the Bands was accretive.