# move

> English word · Verb · IPA /muːv/ · frequency rank #447

## Definitions
1. To change place or posture; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another.
2. To act; to take action; to begin to act
3. To change residence, for example from one house, town, or state, to another; to go and live at another place; similarly to change the location of another establishment such as a business. See also move out and move in.
4. To transport (an item) as part of changing residences.
5. To cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to another
6. To transfer (a piece) from one space or position on the board to another.
7. To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence.
8. To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion, to excite (for example, an emotion).
9. To propose; to recommend; specifically, to propose formally for consideration and determination, in a deliberative assembly; to submit
10. To mention; to raise (a question); to suggest (a course of action); to lodge (a complaint).
11. To incite, urge (someone to do something); to solicit (someone for or of an issue); to make a proposal to.
12. To apply to, as for aid.
13. To request an action from the court.
14. To bow or salute upon meeting.
15. To sell or market (especially physical inventory or illicit drugs).
16. To transfer the value of one object in memory to another efficiently (i.e., without copying it in entirety).

## Etymology
From Middle English moven, moeven, meven, borrowed from Old Northern French mover, moveir and Old French mouver, moveir (“to move”) (compare modern French mouvoir from Old French movoir), from Latin movēre (“move; change, exchange, go in or out, quit”), from Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- (“to move, drive”). Cognate with Lithuanian mauti (“to push on, rush”), Sanskrit मीवति (mī́vati, “pushes, presses, moves”), Middle Dutch mouwe (“sleeve”). Largely displaced native English stir, from Middle English stiren, sturien, from Old English styrian.

## Easily confused with
- **MV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mv)
- **MVP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mvp)
- **MTV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mtv)
- **mow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mow)
- **Moz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-moz)
- **mute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mute)
- **muse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-muse)
- **mule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mule)
- **moya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-moya)
- **movie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-movie)
- **moved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-moved)
- **moves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-moves)
- **mover** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mover)
- **mower** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mower)
- **mowed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-mowed)
- **movies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/move-vs-movies)
- **ME** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/me-vs-move)
- **MO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mo-vs-move)
- **mom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mom-vs-move)
- **mob** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mob-vs-move)

## Common misspellings (5)
`mmove`, `moev`, `movve`, `mvoe`, `omve`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/move