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Pretext vs Motive - What's the difference?

pretext | motive |

As nouns the difference between pretext and motive

is that pretext is a false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense while motive is an idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.

As verbs the difference between pretext and motive

is that pretext is to employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else while 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.

pretext

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.
  • The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=When that metaphor proves untenable, he switches to insisting that women are like beer but that’s mainly as a pretext to drink until he passes out in a father-son bonding haze.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (Pretexting) (en verb)
  • To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.
  • The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.

    Synonyms

    * blag (UK)

    See also

    * (Social engineering)

    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

    Anagrams

    * ----