main motive

collocation in English

meaningsofmainandmotive

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withmotive.
main
adjective[before noun]
uk
/meɪn/us
/meɪn/
larger, more important, or having more influence than others of the ...
See more atmain
motive
noun[C]
uk
/ˈməʊ.tɪv/us
/ˈmoʊ.t̬ɪv/
a reason for ...
See more atmotive

(Definition ofmainandmotivefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofmain motive

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Themainmotivefor growing grain legume crops was the production of grain.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In this discussion, he assumes that themainmotiveto moral behaviour is our desire for the approval of others.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It is also doubtful whether the desire to extend choice and control is themainmotivebehind the introduction of cash-for-care programmes.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainmotivewas the wish to create a new economic class assisted by the state.
From theCambridge English Corpus
For 36 per cent of the sample the main motivation was ' meeting the needs of older people', and for one-quarter, professional accomplishment was themainmotive.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It was clear that was themainmotivein his speech.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Ourmainmotiveis to improve the training content.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In an increasing number of areas, although companies have to survive in the market, profit is not theirmainmotiveor driving force.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Themainmotiveof commercial sponsorship is to advertise the reputation of the services or products of a particular company which is financing the sponsorship.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This system of society is striving constantly for profit as itsmainmotive.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There is no denying that themainmotivefor this scheme was not a commercial motive.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Themainmotivebehind the reclassification decision is to create a credible message that young people are prepared to listen to.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
With speed as theirmainmotive, they produced the two clauses for which they are now apologising and are withdrawing.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Paragraph 13 of the schedule disallows tax deductions to the extent that tax avoidance is themainmotivebehind a loan relationship.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Each of them described theirmainmotiveas being that of controlling public expenditure.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is themainmotivedriving people to become refugees and to seek asylum.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Others purport to be political refugees when theirmainmotiveis economic.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Short-term profit must not be themainmotive, as is the case here.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Themainmotivefor investing in local airlines was to secure feeder traffic for the main trunk services and to protect transit and traffic rights.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofmain
Go to the definition ofmotive
See other collocations withmotive