Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.

Class V. Words Releasing to the Voluntary Powers
Division (I) Individual Volition
Section I. Volition in General
2. Causes of Volition

615. Motive.

   NOUN:MOTIVE, springs of action.
  REASON, ground, call, principle; by-end, by-purpose; mainspring, primum mobile [L.], keystone; the why and the wherefore; pro and con, reason why; secret motive, ulterior motive; arrière pensée [F.]; intention [See Intention].
  INDUCEMENT, consideration; attraction; loadstone; magnet, magnetism, magnetic force; allectation [obs.], allective [obs.], temptation, enticement, agacerie [F.], allurement, witchery; bewitchment, bewitchery; charm; spell [See Spell]; fascination, blandishment, cajolery; seduction, seducement; honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens; forbidden fruit, golden apple.
  PERSUASIBILITY, persuasibleness, persuadability, persuadableness; attractability; impressibility, susceptibility; softness; persuasiveness, attractiveness; tantalization.
  INFLUENCE, prompting, dictate, instance; impulse, impulsion; incitement, incitation; press, insistence, urge [rare], instigation; provocation (excitation of feeling) [See Excitation]; inspiration; persuasion, suasion; encouragement, advocacy; exhortation, hortation; advice [See Advice]; solicitation (request) [See Request]; lobbyism; pull [slang].
  INCENTIVE, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus [India], rowel, provocative, whet, dram.
  BRIBE, lure; decoy, decoy duck; bait, trail of a red herring; bribery and corruption; sop, sop to Cerberus.
  TEMPTER, seducer, seductor, seductress; prompter, suggester, coaxer, wheedler, Siren, Circe, vampire [colloq.], vamp [slang]; instigator, agent provocateur [F.]; lobbyist; firebrand, incendiary.
   VERB:INDUCE, move; draw, draw on; bring in its train, give an impulse to &c. n.; inspire; put up to [slang], prompt, call up; attract, beckon.
  STIMULATE (excite) [See Excitation]; spirit, spirit up, inspirit; rouse, arouse, animate, incite, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate; act upon, work upon, operate upon; encourage; pat -, clap- on the -back, – shoulder.
  set an example, set the fashion; keep in countenance, back up.
  INFLUENCE, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate; lead, – by the nose; have -, exercise -, influence- -with, – over, – upon; go -, come- round one [colloq.]; turn the head, magnetize; lobby [chiefly U. S.].
  PERSUADE; prevail -with, – upon; overcome, carry; bring round, bring to one’s senses; draw -, win -, gain -, talk- over; come over [colloq.]; procure, enlist, engage; invite, court.
  TEMPT, seduce, overpersuade, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure, vamp [slang]; inveigle; tantalize; cajole (deceive) [See Deception].
  BRIBE, tamper with, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook.
  ENFORCE, force; impel (push) [See Impulse]; propel [See Propulsion]; whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge; egg on, hound on, hurry on; drag [See Traction]; exhort; advise [See Advice]; call upon &c., press (request) [See Request]; advocate.
  BE PERSUADED &c.; yield to temptation, come round [colloq.]; concede (consent) [See Consent]; obey a call; follow -advice, – the bent, – the dictates of; act on principle.
   ADJECTIVE:IMPULSIVE, motive; persuasive, persuasory [rare], hortative, hortatory; protreptical [obs.]; inviting, tempting, &c. v.; suasive, suasory [obs.], irresistible, seductive, attractive; fascinating (pleasing) [See Pleasurableness]; provocative (exciting) [See Excitation].
  INDUCED &c. v.; disposed; persuadable (docile) [See Willingness]; spellbound; instinct -, taken -, smitten- with; inspired by &c. v.
   ADVERB:BECAUSE, therefore (cause) [See Attribution]; from this motive, from that motive; for this reason, for that reason; for; by reason of, for the sake of, on the score of, on account of; out of, from, as, forasmuch as.
  for all the world; on principle.
   QUOTATIONS:

1. Fax mentis incendium gloriœ.
2. Temptation hath a music for all ears.—Willis
3. To beguile many and be beguiled by one.—Othello