Definition: movement

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

movement
     n 1: 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: motion, move, motility]
     2: a natural event that involves a change in the position or
        location of something [syn: motion]
     3: the act of changing your 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: motion, move]
     4: a group of people with a common ideology who try together to
        achieve certain general goals; "he was a charter member of
        the movement"; "politicians have to respect a mass
        movement"; "he led the national liberation front" [syn: social
        movement, front]
     5: a major self-contained part of a symphony or sonata; "the
        second movement is slow and melodic"
     6: a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward
        a particular end; "he supported populist campaigns"; "they
        worked in the cause of world peace"; "the team was ready
        for a drive toward the pennant"; "the movement to end
        slavery"; "contributed to the war effort" [syn: campaign,
         cause, crusade, drive, effort]
     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, motion, apparent movement]
     8: a euphemism for defecation; "he had a bowel movement" [syn:
        bowel movement, bm]
     9: the driving and regulating parts of a mechanism (as of a
        watch or clock); "it was an expensive watch with a diamond
        movement"
     10: the act of changing the location of something; "the movement
         of cargo onto the vessel"

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Movement \Move"ment\, n. [F. mouvement. See Move, and cf.
   Moment.]
   1. The act of moving; change of place or posture;
      transference, by any means, from one situation to another;
      natural or appropriate motion; progress; advancement; as,
      the movement of an army in marching or maneuvering; the
      movement of a wheel or a machine; the party of movement.

   2. Motion of the mind or feelings; emotion.

   3. Manner or style of moving; as, a slow, or quick, or
      sudden, movement.

   4. (Mus.)
      (a) The rhythmical progression, pace, and tempo of a
          piece. ``Any change of time is a change of movement.''
          --Busby.
      (b) One of the several strains or pieces, each complete in
          itself, with its own time and rhythm, which make up a
          larger work; as, the several movements of a suite or a
          symphony.

   5. (Mech.) A system of mechanism for transmitting motion of a
      definite character, or for transforming motion; as, the
      wheelwork of a watch.

   Febrille movement (Med.), an elevation of the body
      temperature; a fever.

   Movement cure. (Med.) See Kinesiatrics.

   Movement of the bowels, an evacuation or stool; a passage
      or discharge.

   Syn: Motion.

   Usage: Movement, Motion. Motion expresses a general idea
          of not being at rest; movement is oftener used to
          express a definite, regulated motion, esp. a progress.