Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MO'TIVE, a. [See the Noun.]

Causing motion; having power to move or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. Hooker. Bentley.

MO'TIVE, n. [It. Sp. and Port. motivo; Fr. motif. See Move.]

1. That which incites to action; that which determines the choice, or moves the will. Thus we speak of good motives, and bad motives; strong and weak motives. The motive to continue at rest is ease or satisfaction; the motive to change is uneasiness, or the prospect of good.
2. That which may or ought to incite to action; reason; cause.
3. A mover. [Not in use.] Shak.

MO-TIV'I-TY, n.

The power of producing motion.

MOT'LEY, a. [W. ysmot, a spot; ysmotiaw, to spot, to dapple; Sp. motear, id.; Eng. mote.]

1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled; as, a motley coat. Shak.
2. Composed of different or various parts, characters or kinds; diversified; as, a motley style. And doubts of motley hue. Dryden. [This word primarily means spotted; but it may signify also striped.]

MO'TOR, n. [L. from moveo, to move.]

A mover. The metals are called motors of electricity. Volta.

MO'TORY, a.

Giving motion; as, motory muscles. Ray.

MOT'TO, n. [It. id.; Sp. and Port. mote; Fr. mot; Sax. mæthelan, to speak; Ir. meadhair, talk, discourse; Goth. mathlei, id.; Gr. μυθος, μυθευω, μυθεομαι.]

Primarily, a word; but more commonly, a sentence or phrase prefixed to an essay or discourse, containing the subject of it, or added to a device. In heraldry, the motto is carried in a scroll, alluding to the bearing or to the name of the bearer, or expressing some important idea.

MOUGHT, v. [The obsolete preterite of may. We now use might.]

MOULD, n. [An incorrect orthography. See MOLD, and its derivatives.]

MOULT, v. [See MOLT.]

MOUNCH, or MAUNCH, v.t.

To chew. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MOUND, n. [Sax. mund; W. mwnt, from mwn; L. mons, See Mount.]

Something raised as a defense or fortification, usually a bank of earth or stone; a bulwark; a rampart or fence. God has thrown / That mountain as his garden mound high raised. Milton. To thrid the thickets or to leap the mounds. Dryden

MOUND, v.t.

To fortify with a mound. Johnson

MOUND'ED, pp.

Surrounded or defended by mounds. The lakes high mounded. J. Barlow.

MOUND'ING, ppr.

Defending by a mound.

MOUNT, n. [Fr. mont; Sax. munt; It. Port. and Sp. monte; Arm. menez; mene; W. mwnt, a mount, mountain or mound, a heap; L. mons, literally a heap or an elevation; Ir. moin or muine; Basque, mendia. Qu. Gr. βουνος.]

1. A mass of earth, or earth and rock, rising considerably above the common surface of the surrounding land. Mount is used for an eminence or elevation of earth, indefinite highth or size, and may be a hillock, hill or mountain. We apply it to Mount Blanc, in Switzerland, to Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke, in Massachusetts, and it is applied Scripture to the small hillocks on which sacrifice was offered, as well as to Mount Sinai. Jacob offered sacrifice on the mount or heap of stones raised for a witness between him and Laban. Gen. xxxi.
2. A mound; a bulwark for offense or defense. Hew ye down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem. Jer. vi.
3. Formerly, a bank or fund of money. [Obs.] Bacon.

MOUNT, v.i. [Fr. monter; It. montare; Sp. montar.]

1. To rise on high; to ascend; with or without up. Doth the eagle mount up at thy command? Job xxxix. The fire of trees and houses mounts on high. Cowley.
2. To rise; to ascend; to tower; to be built to a great altitude. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven. Jer. li.
3. To get on horseback. Shak.
4. To leap upon any animal.
5. To amount; to rise in value. Bring them these blessings to a strict account, / Make fair deductions, see to what they mount. Pope.

MOUNT, v.t.

1. To raise aloft; to lift on high. What power is it which mounts my love so high? Shak.
2. To ascend; to climb; to get upon an elevated place; as, to mount a throne.
3. To place one's self on horseback; as, to mount a horse.
4. To furnish with horses; as, to mount a troop. The dragoons were well mounted.
5. To put on or cover with something; to embellish wit ornaments; as, to mount a sword.
6. To carry; to be furnished with; as, a ship of the line mounts seventy-four guns; a fort mounts a hundred cannon.
7. To raise and place on a carriage; as, to mount a cannon. To mount guard, to take the station and do the duty of a sentinel.

MOUNT'A-BLE, a.

That may be ascended or mounted.

MOUNT'AIN, a.

Pertaining to a mountain; found on mountains; growing or dwelling on a mountain; as, mountain air; mountain pines; mountain goats.

MOUNT'AIN, n. [Fr. montagne; Sp. montana; It. montagna; L. adjective, montanus.]

A large mass of earth and rock, rising above the common level of the earth or adjacent land, but of no definite altitude. We apply mountain to the largest eminences on the globe; but sometimes the word is used for a large hill. In general, mountain denotes an elevation higher and larger than a hill; as, the Altaic mountains in Asia, the Alps in Switzerland, the Andes in South America, the Alleghany mountains in Virginia, the Kaatskill in New York, the White mountains in New Hampshire, and the Green mountains in Vermont. The word is applied to a single elevation, or to an extended range.

MOUNT'AIN-BLUE, n.

Malachite; carbonate of copper.

MOUNT-AIN-EER', or MOUNT'AIN-ER, n.

1. An inhabitant of a mountain.
2. A rustic; a freebooter; a savage. Milton.

MOUNT'AIN-ET, n.

A small mountain; a hillock. [Not used.] Sidney.

MOUNT'AIN-GREEN, n.

A carbonate of copper.