move
UK[muːv]US[muːv]
v
To change position or go from one place to another.
v
To cause something to change position.
v
To change one's place of residence.
n
An act of moving; a movement.
n
A change in situation or development.
Etymology
The word 'move' originates from the Latin verb 'movēre', meaning 'to set in motion'. This Latin root is itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European base meue-, which carried the fundamental sense of 'to push away'. The term passed into Anglo-French as 'mover' or 'movoir', before being adopted into Middle English around the 13th century. Over time, its meaning expanded from the purely physical act of causing motion to encompass abstract concepts of causing change, influencing emotions, and making formal proposals. The journey from the concrete PIE push to the multifaceted modern English 'move' illustrates a classic path of semantic broadening.
Analysis
The word 'move' is a simplex word of Latin origin, entering English via Anglo-French. Its core element is the Latin verb 'movēre', meaning 'to set in motion, to stir, to agitate'. The modern English form represents a direct phonetic and semantic inheritance of this root.
Examples
Please move your chair closer to the table.
The company decided to move its headquarters to a different city.
His emotional speech moved the audience to tears.