Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MOTH'ER, v.t.

To adopt as a son or daughter. Howell.

MOTH'ER-HOOD, n.

The state of being a mother. Donne.

MOTH'ER-ING, n.

To go a mothering, is to visit parents on Midlent Sunday – this is called also midlenting.

MOTH'ER-IN-LAW, n.

The mother of a husband or wife.

MOTH'ER-LAND, n.

The land of one's mother or parents.

MOTH'ER-LESS, a.

Destitute of a mother; having lost a mother; as, motherless children.

MOTH'ER-LY, a.

1. Pertaining to a mother; as, motherly power or authority. Hooker.
2. Becoming a mother; tender; parental; as, motherly love or care. Arbuthnot.

MOTH'ER-LY, adv.

In the manner of a mother. Donne.

MOTH'ER-OF-PEARL, n.

[MOTH'ER of pearl; The matrix of pearl; the shell in which pearls are generated; a species of Mytilus or Mussel. Encyc.

MOTH'ER-OF-THYME, n.

[MOTH'ER of thyme; A plant of the genus Thymus.

MOTH'ER-WA'TER, n.

A fluid remaining after the evaporation of salt water, and containing deliquescent salts and impurities. Ure.

MOTH'ER-WIT, n.

Native wit; common sense.

MOTH'ER-WORT, n.

A plant of the genus Leonurus.

MOTH'ER-Y, a.

Concreted; resembling or partaking of the nature of mother; as, the mothery substance in liquors.

MOTH'MUL-LEN, n.

A plant. Miller.

MOTH'WORT, n.

A plant.

MOTH'Y, a. [from Moth.]

Full of moths; as, an old mothy saddle. Shak.

MO-TIF'IC, a. [L. motus and facio.]

Producing motion. Good.

MO'TION, n. [L. motio; Fr. motion. See Move.]

1. The act or process of changing place; change of local position; the passing of a body from one place to another; change of distance between bodies; opposed to rest. Animal motion is that which is performed by animals in consequence of volition or an act of the will; but how the will operates on the body in producing motion, we can not explain. Mechanical motion is effected by the force or power of one body acting on another. Perpetual motion is that which is effected or supplied by itself, without the impulse or intervention of any external cause. Hitherto it has been found impossible to invent a machine that has this principle.
2. Animal life and action. Devoid of sense and motion. Milton.
3. Manner of moving the body; port; gait; air. Each member move and every motion guide. Blackmore.
4. Change of posture; action. Watching the motion of her patron's eye. Dryden.
5. Military march or movement. Milton.
6. Agitation; as, the motions of the sea.
7. Internal action; excitement; as, the motions of the breast. Gay.
8. Direction; tendency. In our proper motion we ascend. Milton.
9. The effect of impulse; action proceeding from any cause, external or internal. In the growth of plants and animals, there must be a motion of the component parts, though invisible. Attraction or chimical affinity produces sensible motion of the parts of bodies. Motions of the mind ascribed to the invisible agency of the Supreme Being, are called good motions. Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God. South.
10. Proposal made; proposition offered; particularly, a proposition made in a deliberative assembly. A motion is made for a committee; a motion for introducing a bill; a motion to adjourn.
11. A puppet-show or puppet. [Not used.] Shak.

MO'TION, v.t.

To propose. [Little used.] [See Move.]

MO'TION-ED, pp.

Moved; proposed.

MO'TION-ER, n.

A mover. [Not used.]

MO'TION-ING, ppr.

Proposing.

MO'TION-IST, n.

One who makes a motion.

MO'TION-LESS, a.

Wanting motion; being at rest. I grow a statue, fixed and motionless. Dryden.