A Motion Is a Movement and a Proposal
Motion is movement. In meetings it means a formal proposal, and the connection is a proposal put forward.
Motion is the act of moving. Committees use the same word for a formal proposal, because a motion is something put forward for consideration. Parliamentary procedure keeps a whole vocabulary of them: motions are moved, seconded, amended, put to the vote, and occasionally *tabled* — which means opposite things in Britain and America.
- Movement. *Perpetual motion.*
- A formal proposal. *Move a motion.*
- To signal with the hand. *He motioned her over.*
- Go through the motions — act without conviction. *Just going through the motions.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | motion | Constant motion. |
| Plural | motions | Several motions. |
| Verb | motion | Motion him forward. |
| Adjective | motionless | Completely motionless. |
| Related | motive | A clear motive. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The motion was carried.Approved by vote.
- Tabling a motion means opposite things.See below.
- Set the wheels in motion.Begin a process.
Meeting vocabulary
- Move — to propose a motion
- Second — to support it so it can be discussed
- Amend — to alter the wording
- Carried — passed by vote
- Table — in Britain, to bring forward for discussion; in America, to postpone
From Latin *motionem*, a moving, from *movere*, to move — the same root as *motive*, *emotion* and *remote*.
What does *tabling a motion* mean?
In British usage, putting it forward for discussion. In American usage, setting it aside. The reversal causes genuine confusion.
Are motion and emotion related?
Yes. Emotion is literally a moving out, from the same Latin verb, reflecting the idea of feelings that stir a person.