All 13 Uses

motive
in
The ABC Murders
(Auto-generated)

In my own mind I was afraid that I fathomed his motive.†
Chpt 8

motive = reason (for doing something)
So far he hasn't given us any clue as to motive.†
Chpt 8
"Has a madman any motive, sir?" asked the superintendent skeptically.†
Chpt 8
Poirot said slowly: "It seems to me that there is one very important clue-the discovery of the motive."†
Chpt 13 *
A final suggestion: Is his motive direct personal hatred of me, of Hercule Poirot?†
Chpt 13
It's not much good looking for motives at this stage, Mr. Clarke," said Inspector Crome.†
Chpt 15

motives = reasons for doing something
That's a matter for an alienist-though I may say that I've had a certain experience of criminal lunacy and that the motives are usually grossly inadequate.†
Chpt 15
The motive?†
Chpt 29

motive = reason (for doing something)
What I had to discover was: the motive of the crime, the motive of the letter.†
Chpt 34
What I had to discover was: the motive of the crime, the motive of the letter.†
Chpt 34
Motive.†
Chpt 34
If the motive and the opportunity are fairly obvious, what is a would-be murderer to do?†
Chpt 34
But his motive for killing his sweetheart could only be jealousy-and jealousy does not tend to premeditation.†
Chpt 34

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.