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move
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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈmuːv/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/muv/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(mo̅o̅v)
- Inflections of 'move' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
- moves
- v 3rd person singular
- moving
- v pres p
- moved
- v past
- moved
- v past p
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026move /muv/USA pronunciation
v., moved, mov•ing, n. v. - to (cause to) pass from one position to another;
to change one's place: [no object]She fell down and didn't move.[~ + object]Can you move some books off your desk?
- to (cause to) change the place where one lives or does business;
relocate: [no object]She moved to Illinois.[~ + object]The company moved him to Dallas.
- to (cause to) progress: [no object]Work on the project is moving well.[~ + object]The coach really moved his team ahead.
- to have a regular motion, as a part of a machine:[no object]The clock doesn't move.
- to sell or be sold: [no object]Sales show that the new minivans are moving well.[~ + object]The car dealer had to move all of last year's models.
- to start off or leave:[no object]I think we'd better be moving.
- Chessto transfer a piece in a game, as chess: [no object]Whenever she moved, she always captured one of my pieces.[~ + object]He moved the piece slowly forward and said, "Checkmate.''
- Physiology(of the bowels) to (cause to) discharge the feces: [no object]His bowels wouldn't move unless he took a laxative.[~ + object]He couldn't move his bowels without taking a laxative.
- to be active in a particular area:[no object]She moves in the best circles of society.
- to cause (someone) to do some action:[~ + object + to + verb]Curiosity moved me to open the box.
- to affect (someone) with tender emotion or feeling;
to arouse or touch: [~ + object]I was moved by your troubles, so I decided to help you.[~ + object + to + object]Her words moved me to anger.
- to propose (a motion, etc.) formally, as to a court or judge: [~ + (that) clause]I move (that) we all get big raises.[no object]He moved for adjournment.[~ + object]The proposal was moved and seconded.
- move along, to move from one place to another: [no object]The police urged the crowd to move along.[~ + object + along]The police moved the demonstrators along.
- move in, [no object]
- to begin to occupy a place, esp. by bringing in one's possessions:You can move in any time after September 1st.
- to move toward, often in preparation for an attack:The troops quickly moved in opposite the demonstrators.
- move in on, [~ + in + on + object] to make threatening and aggressive movements or actions toward:If the giant computer companies move in on our market, we'll be in big trouble.
- move off, [no object] to move away from;
to depart:The enemy troops moved off when the fighter planes came.
- move on:
- [~ + on + object] to attack as a military target.
- [no object] to begin action on something new:We've debated this for hours; it's time to move on.
- to leave a position or place: [no object]He moved on to another job.[~ + object + on]The police moved the demonstrators on.
- move over, [no object] to shift to a nearby place, as to make room for another:Could you please move over; I need to reach my seat.
- move up, to (cause to) advance to a higher level: [no object]She moved up quickly in the company.[~ + object + up]His father moved him up quickly through the ranks.
n. [countable]
- an act or instance of moving;
movement:stood still and didn't make a move.
- a change of location or residence:to make a move to Los Angeles.
- an action toward an objective or goal;
step:He made several moves to take over the company.
- Chess(in chess, etc.) a player's right or turn to make a play:It's your move.
Idioms
- Idioms, Informal Terms get a move on, [no object][Informal.]to hasten to act;
hurry up:Get a move on or we'll be late!
- Idioms move heaven and earth, to do everything in one's power to bring something about.
- Idioms on the move:
- busy;
active.
- going from place to place:We were always on the move in those days because Mom was transferred so often.
- advancing;
progressing:young executives on the move.
See -mov-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026move
(mo̅o̅v),USA pronunciation v., moved, mov•ing, n. v.i. - to pass from one place or position to another.
- to go from one place of residence to another:They moved from Tennessee to Texas.
- to advance or progress:The red racing car moved into the lead.
- to have a regular motion, as an implement or a machine;
turn;
revolve.
- to sell or be sold:That new model is moving well.
- to start off or leave:It's time to be moving.
- Chessto transfer a piece in a game, as chess or checkers.
- Physiology(of the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces;
evacuate.
- to be active in a particular sphere:to move in musical society.
- to take action;
proceed.
- to make a formal request, application, or proposal:to move for a new trial.
v.t. - to change from one place or position to another.
- to set or keep in motion.
- to prompt, actuate, or impel to some action:What moved you to do this?
- to arouse or excite the feelings or passions of;
affect with emotion (usually fol. by to):to move someone to anger.
- to affect with tender or compassionate emotion;
touch:The tale of tragedy moved her.
- Chessto transfer (a piece in a game) from one position to another.
- to dispose of (goods) by sale.
- Physiologyto cause (the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces.
- to propose formally, as to a court or judge, or for consideration by a deliberative assembly.
- to submit a formal request or proposal to (a court, a sovereign, etc.).
- move in, to begin to occupy a place in which to live or work.
- Informal Termsmove in on:
- to approach or make advances toward usurping another's success, authority, position, or the like.
- to take aggressive steps to control or possess:The company has not yet moved in on the consumer market.
- move on, to approach or attack as a military target:The army is moving on the capital itself.
- move out, to leave a place in order to start or continue a planned march, maneuver, journey, etc.:The troops will move out of the encampment at dawn.
- move over, to change or cause to change to another position, esp. to make room for another:to make space by moving over.
- move up, to advance to a higher level.
n. - an act or instance of moving;
movement.
- a change of location or residence.
- an action toward an objective or goal;
step:a move toward a higher tax.
- Chess(in chess, checkers, etc.) a player's right or turn to make a play.
- a play or maneuver, as in a game or sport.
- Idioms, Informal Termsget a move on, [Informal.]
- to begin;
act:We'd better get a move on before it rains.
- to hurry;
hasten.
- Idioms, Informal Termsmake one's move, [Informal.]to act, esp. to assert oneself at an opportune time.
- Idiomson the move:
- busy;
active:on the move from morning till night.
- going from place to place:Infantry units have been on the move all day.
- advancing;
progressing:an industry on the move.
- Idioms, Slang Termsput moves on, [Slang.]to make sexual advances toward. Also, make a move on.
- Anglo-French mover
- Middle English meven, moven 1200–50
1. stir, budge. See advance. 2. remove. 4. spin, gyrate, rotate, operate. 12. shift, transfer; propel. 13. agitate. 14. influence, induce, incite, instigate, lead. 28. See motion.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
move /muːv/ vb - to go or take from one place to another; change in location or position
- (usually intr) to change (one's dwelling, place of business, etc)
- to be or cause to be in motion; stir
- (intransitive) (of machines, etc) to work or operate
- (transitive) to cause (to do something); prompt
- (intransitive) to begin to act: move soon or we'll lose the order
- (intransitive) to associate oneself with a specified social circle: to move in exalted spheres
- (intransitive) to make progress
- (transitive) to arouse affection, pity, or compassion in; touch
- (in board games) to change the position of (a piece) or (of a piece) to change position
- (intransitive) (of merchandise) to be disposed of by being bought
- when tr, often takes a clause as object; when intr, often followed by for: to suggest (a proposal) formally, as in debating or parliamentary procedure
- (intransitive; usually followed by on or along) to go away or to another place; leave
- to cause (the bowels) to evacuate or (of the bowels) to be evacuated
n - the act of moving; movement
- one of a sequence of actions, usually part of a plan; manoeuvre
- the act of moving one's residence, place of business, etc
- (in board games)
- a player's turn to move his or her piece or take other permitted action
- a permitted manoeuvre of a piece
- get a move on ⇒ informal
- to get started
- to hurry up
- on the move ⇒
- travelling from place to place
- advancing; succeeding
- very active; busy
Etymology: 13th Century: from Anglo-French mover, from Latin movēre
'move' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [swift, quick, fast, slow] move, move up and down, made a [good, poor, terrible, calculated, clever] move, more... Forum discussions with the word(s) "move" in the title:
Look up "move" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "move" at dictionary.com
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