📖 M — The English dictionary · page 46

motive — Everyday, meaning 1: The reason why someone does something, especially something secret or wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective, science) Causing movement: «motive power» drives an engine.↗ Example: The detective asked who had a motive to steal the cake.↗ · Her motive for helping was to win the prize, not to be kind.↗ · The police still don't know the motive for the crime.↗ · What was your motive for getting up so early?↗ · He had an ulterior motive: he wanted to borrow my bike.↗ · Steam engines gave motive power to the first trains.↗ · Kind actions with good motives make the world better.↗ · But I have sent for you to inquire what was your motive in making such a curious vow.↗

motor — Everyday, meaning 1: A machine that turns energy (usually electricity or fuel) into movement, like the motor in a fan, a toy car or a boat.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK, informal) A car.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (adjective) To do with cars or vehicles: «motor racing».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (adjective, science) To do with movement of the body: «motor skills».↗ Example: We added a small motor to make our model car move.↗ · The motor in the fan is broken.↗ · Racing drivers love motor racing.↗ · Writing practice helps your fine motor skills.↗ · The boat's motor started with a roar.↗ · An electric motor uses electricity to make things spin.↗ · Uncle Pete washed his motor on Sunday.↗

motorbike — Everyday, meaning 1: A motorbike is a heavy two-wheeled vehicle with an engine, like a bicycle with a motor.↗ It is also called a motorcycle.↗ Example: There are 8 motorbikes in the car park.↗ · How many wheels do 6 motorbikes have?↗ · A motorbike travels 60 km in an hour.↗ · The shop has cars and motorbikes, 50 wheels in all.↗ · My uncle rides a motorbike to work.↗ · You must wear a helmet on a motorbike.↗ · A loud motorbike roared down the street.↗ · The pizza came on a delivery motorbike.↗

motorboat — Everyday, meaning 1: A motorboat is a boat that moves with an engine, not with sails or oars.↗ Example: A motorboat goes 30 km an hour.↗ · It is faster than the sailboat.↗ · 4 motorboats are in the harbour.↗ · How far does the motorboat go in 2 hours?↗ · Always wear a life jacket on a motorboat.↗ · The motorboat sped across the lake.↗ · Going upstream, the motorboat was slower.↗ · The noise of the motorboat scared the ducks.↗

motorcar — Everyday, meaning 1: (old-fashioned, formal) A car, a road vehicle with an engine that carries a few people.↗ Example: The first motorcars were noisy and slow.↗ · In the old story, the family rode in a shiny motorcar.↗ · Horses were scared of the early motorcars.↗ · The museum has a motorcar with big wooden wheels.↗ · Grandpa jokes that his car is a "motorcar".↗ · Before the motorcar, people travelled by horse and cart.↗

motorcycle — Everyday, meaning 1: A heavy two-wheeled vehicle with an engine, ridden like a bicycle.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To travel on a motorcycle.↗ Example: My uncle rides a motorcycle to work.↗ · A motorcycle has two wheels and a car has four.↗ · The motorcycle roared past the school gate.↗ · Always wear a helmet on a motorcycle.↗ · A motorcycle travels 60 miles in one hour; how far in three hours?↗ · The police officer arrived on a motorcycle.↗ · They motorcycled across the country in summer.↗

motorist — Everyday, meaning 1: A person who drives a car.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Any road user who drives a motor vehicle.↗ Example: Motorists must slow down near schools.↗ · A passing motorist stopped to help.↗ · Snow caused delays for motorists.↗ · Road signs warn motorists about sharp bends.↗ · Motorists should watch out for cyclists.↗ · The police reminded motorists to wear seat belts.↗ · The new road will help motorists get to town faster.↗

motorway — Everyday, meaning 1: A motorway is a wide, fast road with several lanes in each direction, made for long journeys by car and lorry.↗ (UK, Ireland, NZ; US: freeway or highway; Australia: freeway or motorway.).↗ Example: We drove down the motorway to the seaside.↗ · Let's stop at the motorway services for a break.↗ · Bikes are not allowed on the motorway.↗ · The motorway was jammed with traffic.↗ · Take the next junction off the motorway.↗ · At 60 miles per hour, it takes two hours to drive 120 miles on the motorway.↗ · When the car broke down, we waited behind the barrier.↗ · The motorway has three lanes each way.↗

mottled — Everyday, meaning 1: Mottled means marked with patches or blotches of different colours, like a speckled coat.↗ Example: The frog had a bright green, mottled coat.↗ · The mottled brown and yellow jacket shone in the sun.↗ · A toad with mottled skin sat under the leaf.↗

motto — Everyday, meaning 1: A motto is a short sentence or phrase that sums up the beliefs or aims of a person, school, family or country.↗ Example: Our school motto is «Learn, Grow, Shine».↗ · The Scouts' motto is «Be Prepared».↗ · Many school mottos are in Latin.↗ · My grandad's motto is «Never give up».↗ · The family motto was written under the coat of arms.↗ · Let's choose a motto for our team.↗ · Seven at one blow is my motto," said the Tailor.↗

mould — Everyday, meaning 1: Mould is a soft, furry growth, often green, white, blue or black, that grows on old food or damp walls; it is a kind of fungus.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A mould is a hollow container that you pour a liquid into so it sets in that shape, like a jelly mould.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To mould means to press or shape something soft, like clay, into a shape.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To mould someone means to influence how they grow up and become.↗ Example: The bread was covered in green mould.↗ · Don't eat food with mould on it.↗ · We watched mould grow on bread for our science experiment.↗ · Mould grows in warm, damp places.↗ · Pour the jelly into the mould and let it set.↗ · She moulded the clay into a little bowl.↗ · Penicillin was discovered in a mould.↗ · Open a window to stop mould growing in the bathroom.↗ · "It is really necessary that I should mould the clay myself," he replied.↗

moulder — Everyday, meaning 1: To moulder is to decay slowly and crumble, as old wood or stone does over many years.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Mouldering» describes something old, falling to pieces and rotting.↗ Example: The old dovecot was mouldering in the field.↗ · Old bones moulder in the ground.↗ · Nobody had lived in the castle for years, and it began to moulder.↗

mouldy — Everyday, meaning 1: Covered with mould, a soft, furry fungus that grows on old food or in damp places.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, UK) Old, mean or nasty: «a mouldy old jumper».↗ Example: The bread went mouldy after a week.↗ · Don't eat that – it's mouldy!↗ · We grew mouldy bread in a bag for our science experiment.↗ · The bathroom wall is mouldy because it's damp.↗ · Mouldy fruit is fuzzy and green or white.↗ · Throw away the mouldiest strawberries.↗ · Then it took them to another lake, into which they cast a mouldy log.↗

moult — Everyday, meaning 1: (of a bird, animal or insect) To lose feathers, fur, hair or skin so that new ones can grow.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Noun: the time or act of moulting.↗ Example: Our dog moults every spring.↗ · The chicken is moulting, so she has fewer feathers.↗ · A caterpillar moults several times before it makes a chrysalis.↗ · Crabs moult their shells to grow.↗ · There was cat hair all over the sofa during the moult.↗ · Snakes moult their whole skin at once.↗

mound — Everyday, meaning 1: A mound is a small hill or a pile of earth, stones or other things.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A mound is a large pile of something, like a mound of washing.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In baseball, the mound is the raised spot where the pitcher stands.↗ Example: The termites built a huge mound.↗ · We climbed to the top of a grassy mound.↗ · There was a mound of dirty plates in the sink.↗ · The ancient burial mound is very old.↗ · The pitcher stood on the mound.↗ · Moles leave little mounds of soil on the lawn.↗ · On the mound sat the Cricket and took snuff.↗ · But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only — that did Joshua burn.↗ (Prophets JOS.11.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And I will encamp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mound, and I will raise siege works against thee.↗ (Prophets ISA.29.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company succour him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many souls; (Prophets EZK.17.17, JPS 1917)↗

mount — Everyday, meaning 1: To mount a horse or bike is to get on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To mount is to go up or climb, or to slowly increase: «worries mounted».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To mount something is to fix it onto a wall or stand, or onto card for display.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Mount is used in the names of mountains, like Mount Everest.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A mount is a horse for riding, or a stand or card that holds something.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: In the Torah, "mount" means a mountain; in the fairy tale it means to climb on, as on a horse or pony.↗ Example: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.↗ · The knight mounted his horse.↗ · Mount your picture on black card.↗ · The TV is mounted on the wall.↗ · Tension mounted as the clock ticked.↗ · The costs began to mount up.↗ · Climb Mount Snowdon on holiday.↗ · So he mounted his horse and set off.↗ · And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying: (Torah LEV.25.1, JPS 1917)↗ · And they journeyed from Kehelah, and pitched in mount Shepher.↗ (Torah NUM.33.23, JPS 1917)↗ · And they journeyed from mount Shepher, and pitched in Haradah.↗ (Torah NUM.33.24, JPS 1917)↗ · God cometh from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran.↗ (Prophets HAB.3.3, JPS 1917)↗ · and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zerethshahar in the mount of the valley; (Prophets JOS.13.19, JPS 1917)↗ · But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which He loved.↗ (Writings PSA.78.68, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying:↗ (Torah LEV.25.1, JPS 1917) · Mount quickly and let us go.↗ (The Adventures of Pinocchio) · And they journeyed from Kehelah, and pitched in mount Shepher.↗ (Torah NUM.33.23, JPS 1917)

mountain — Everyday, meaning 1: A very high hill with steep sides, usually higher than about 600 metres.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A very large pile or amount: a mountain of homework.↗ Example: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.↗ · We climbed a mountain on holiday.↗ · It gets colder as you go up a mountain.↗ · The Rocky Mountains stretch across Canada and the USA.↗ · There was snow on the mountain tops.↗ · I have a mountain of washing to do.↗ · Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.↗ · My uncle rides a mountain bike.↗ · A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated.↗ · 'Ye have compassed this mountain long enough; turn you northward.↗ (Torah DEU.2.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.↗ (Torah GEN.7.20, JPS 1917)↗ · And Esau dwelt in the mountain-land of Seir — Esau is Edom.↗ (Torah GEN.36.8, JPS 1917)↗ · Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain?↗ (Writings PSA.15.1, JPS 1917)↗ · His foundation is in the holy mountains.↗ (Writings PSA.87.1, JPS 1917)↗ · The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.↗ (Writings PSA.114.4, JPS 1917)↗

mountaineer — Everyday, meaning 1: A mountaineer is a person who climbs mountains as a sport or hobby.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Mountaineering is the sport of climbing mountains.↗ Example: The mountaineer reached the top of Everest.↗ · Tenzing Norgay was a famous mountaineer.↗ · Mountaineers carry ropes and ice axes.↗ · My uncle is a keen mountaineer.↗ · The mountaineers set up camp below the summit.↗ · Mountaineering can be dangerous in bad weather.↗ · Of course not a creature in Vadso believed that, and declared that if it made the mountaineers happier to talk such nonsense, why, let them!↗

mountainous — Everyday, meaning 1: Mountainous means having many mountains.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Mountainous can mean huge, like mountainous waves.↗ Example: Switzerland is a mountainous country.↗ · The road through the mountainous area was narrow and steep.↗ · Few people live in mountainous places.↗ · Mountainous waves crashed over the ship.↗ · We hiked across mountainous land.↗ · It snows a lot in mountainous regions.↗ · "Ho! ho! ho!" quoth the Giant, shaking his mountainous sides.↗

mourn — Everyday, meaning 1: To mourn is to feel and show deep sadness because someone has died.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To mourn something is to feel sad that it is gone or lost: «We mourned the end of the holidays».↗ Example: We all mourned when Grandpa died.↗ · The whole country mourned the queen.↗ · The family wore black to show they were in mourning.↗ · The girl mourned for her lost cat.↗ · Jesus said, «Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted».↗ · Jewish families mourn together for seven days, called shiva.↗ · It is natural to cry when you mourn.↗ · And Moses told these words unto all the children of Israel; and the people mourned greatly.↗ (Torah NUM.14.39, JPS 1917)↗ · And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.↗ (Torah GEN.37.34, JPS 1917)↗ · And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man did put on him his ornaments.↗ (Torah EXO.33.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And David mourned for his son every day.↗ (Prophets 2SA.13.37, JPS 1917)↗ · And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.↗ (Writings 2CH.35.24, JPS 1917)↗ · And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.↗ (Writings 1CH.7.22, JPS 1917)↗