Motive vs Goal - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between motive and goal

is that motive is an idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting while goal is a result that one is attempting to achieve.

As a verb motive

is to prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

As an adjective motive

is causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.

motive

English

Noun

(en noun)

(obsolete) An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.

*, III.2.1.ii:

*:there's something in a woman beyond all human delight; a magnetic virtue, a charming quality, an occult and powerful motive .

An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.

* 1947 , (Malcolm Lowry), Under the Volcano :

Many of them at first seemed kind to him, but it turned out their motives were not entirely altruistic.

(obsolete, rare) A limb or other bodily organ that can move.

(Shakespeare)

(legal) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.

What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?

No-one could understand why she had hidden the shovel; her motives were obscure at best.

* {{quote-book, year=1931, author=

, chapter=10/6, title= Death Walks in Eastrepps , passage=“Why should Eldridge commit murder?

(architecture, fine arts) A motif.

(music) A motif; a theme or subject, especially one that is central to the work or often repeated.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive .

Synonyms

* (incentive ) motivation * (creative works ) motif

Verb

To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

Synonyms

* motivate

Adjective

(-)

Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.

* 1658 , Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus , Folio Society 2007, p. 195:

In the motive parts of animals may be discovered mutuall proportions; not only in those of Quadrupeds, but in the thigh-bone, legge, foot-bone, and claws of Birds.

Relating to motion and/or to its cause

Synonyms

* moving * (relating to motion) motional

External links

* * *

Anagrams

* ----

goal

English

(wikipedia goal)

Noun

(en noun)

A result that one is attempting to achieve.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-11-02, volume=409, issue=8860, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= A shrinking slice , passage=The goal should be to strengthen workers without hamstringing firms. Growth, rather than employment protection, is the priority. More work means a stronger labour market, which would bid up employees’ slice, as it did in America in the 1990s when unemployment was at record lows.}}

In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.

The act of placing the object into the goal.

A point scored in a game as a result of placing the object into the goal.

* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=April 15, author=Saj Chowdhury, work=BBC Sport

, title= Norwich 2-1 Nott'm Forest , passage=The former Forest man, who passed a late fitness test, appeared to use Guy Moussi for leverage before nodding in David Fox's free-kick at the far post - his 22nd goal of the season.}}

A noun or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb. The subject of a passive verb or the direct object of an active verb. Also called a patient, target, or undergoer.

Synonyms

* (a result one is attempting to achieve: ) ambition, object of desire, objective, purpose, aspiration * See also

Derived terms

(goal) * goalball * goal difference * goalie * goalkeeper * goalgetter * goalpost * goaltender * goal umpire * golden goal * silver goal * subgoal

Anagrams

* ----