Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Motion \Mo"tion\, n. [F., fr. L. motio, fr. movere, motum, to
   move. See {Move}.]
   1. The act, process, or state of changing place or position;
      movement; the passing of a body from one place or position
      to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; -- opposed
      to {rest}.

            Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace attends
            thee, and each word, each motion, forms. --Milton.

   2. Power of, or capacity for, motion.

            Devoid of sense and motion.           --Milton.

   3. Direction of movement; course; tendency; as, the motion of
      the planets is from west to east.

            In our proper motion we ascend.       --Milton.

   4. Change in the relative position of the parts of anything;
      action of a machine with respect to the relative movement
      of its parts.

            This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its
            motion.                               --Dr. H. More.

   5. Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or
      impulse to any action; internal activity.

            Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his
            heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from
            God.                                  --South.

   6. A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress;
      esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly;
      as, a motion to adjourn.

            Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion. --Shak.

   7. (Law) An application made to a court or judge orally in
      open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule
      directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant.
      --Mozley & W.

   8. (Mus.) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in
      the same part or in groups of parts.

            The independent motions of different parts sounding
            together constitute counterpoint.     --Grove.

   Note: Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale.
         Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite
         directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique
         motion is that when one part is stationary while
         another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when
         parts move in the same direction.

   9. A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.]

            What motion's this? the model of Nineveh? --Beau. &
                                                  Fl.

   Note: Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound.

   {Simple motions} are: ({a}) straight translation, which, if
      of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. ({b})
      Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or
      reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called
      oscillating. ({c}) Helical, which, if of indefinite
      duration, must be reciprocating.

   {Compound motion} consists of combinations of any of the
      simple motions.

   {Center of motion}, {Harmonic motion}, etc. See under
      {Center}, {Harmonic}, etc.

   {Motion block} (Steam Engine), a crosshead.

   {Perpetual motion} (Mech.), an incessant motion conceived to
      be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces
      independently of any action from without.

Motion \Mo"tion\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Motioned}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Motioning}.]
   1. To make a significant movement or gesture, as with the
      hand; as, to motion to one to take a seat.

   2. To make proposal; to offer plans. [Obs.] --Shak.

Motion \Mo"tion\, v. t.
   1. To direct or invite by a motion, as of the hand or head;
      as, to motion one to a seat.

   2. To propose; to move. [Obs.]

            I want friends to motion such a matter. --Burton.

Source : WordNet®

motion
     v : show, express or direct through movement; "He gestured his
         desire to leave" [syn: {gesticulate}, {gesture}]

motion
     n 1: a natural event that involves a change in the position or
          location of something [syn: {movement}]
     2: the use of movements (especially of the hands) to
        communicate familiar or prearranged signals [syn: {gesture}]
     3: a change of position that does not entail a change of
        location; "the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his
        surprise"; "movement is a sign of life"; "an impatient
        move of his hand"; "gastrointestinal motility" [syn: {movement},
         {move}, {motility}]
     4: a state of change; "they were in a state of steady motion"
        [ant: {motionlessness}]
     5: a formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly
        for discussion and vote; "he made a motion to adjourn";
        "she called for the question" [syn: {question}]
     6: the act of changing location from one place to another;
        "police controlled the motion of the crowd"; "the movement
        of people from the farms to the cities"; "his move put him
        directly in my path" [syn: {movement}, {move}]
     7: an optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid
        succession of still pictures of a moving object; "the
        cinema relies on apparent motion"; "the succession of
        flashing lights gave an illusion of movement" [syn: {apparent
        motion}, {apparent movement}, {movement}]