motor

 
Pronunciation: /ˈməʊtə/

noun

  • 1a machine, especially one powered by electricity or internal combustion, that supplies motive power for a vehicle or for another device with moving parts: these electric motors are highly reliable the sander has a smooth and powerful 520 watt motor
  • a source of power, energy, or motive force: hormones are the motor of the sexual functions
  • 2British informal a car: we drove out in my motor

adjective

[attributive]
  • 1chiefly British driven by a motor: a motor van
  • relating to motor vehicles: motor insurance
  • 2giving or producing motion or action: demand is the principle motor force governing economic activity
  • Physiology relating to muscular movement or the nerves activating it: the motor functions of each hand

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction]
  • travel in a motor vehicle: they motored north up the M6
  • informal run or move as fast as possible: he had motored along to second base on a passed ball

Origin:

late Middle English (denoting a person who imparts motion): from Latin, literally 'mover', based on movere 'to move'. The current sense of the noun dates from the mid 19th century