All 10 Uses

motive
in
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
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'Suicide,' I said, 'but the motive?†
Chpt 23

motive = reason (for doing something)
Where was the motive?†
Chpt 23
They did not seem to think a motive was necessary.†
Chpt 23
The very motive you gave won't stand the test.†
Chpt 24
What was her motive supposed to be?†
Chpt 25
Rebecca may have had some motive we don't know anything about.†
Chpt 25
She would never have done such a thing, and what's more she had no motive.†
Chpt 26
You want to know if I can suggest any motive why your wife should have taken her life?†
Chpt 26
You've got your motive, and Baker will supply it in black and white free of cost, whenever you send the word.†
Chpt 27 *
'I don't think it would do any harm if I quietly let it be known down in Kerrith and in the county that a London doctor has supplied us with a motive,' said Colonel Julyan.†
Chpt 27

Definitions:

(1) (motive as in: What is her motive?)
a reason for doing something
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
Less commonly, motive can refer to something that causes motion in an inanimate object. Even less commonly, it can refer to a distinctive feature in music, art, or literature.