movement
- 01 A2 Elementary
the act of moving your body or changing position.
the act or process of moving; a change in physical location or posture.
Simple“She watched the slight movement of the curtains in the breeze.”
In context“The security cameras are designed to detect even the slightest movement within the restricted perimeter after dark.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
a group of people who share the same ideas and work together to change something in society.
a series of organised activities by people working together toward a shared political, social, or ideological goal.
Simple“He joined the environmental movement to help protect the local rivers.”
In context“The civil rights movement of the 1960s fundamentally reshaped the legal and social landscape of the United States.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
one of the main sections of a long piece of music, like a symphony.
a self-contained section of a larger musical composition, such as a symphony or sonata.
Simple“The orchestra played the second movement much slower than the first.”
In context“The final movement of the symphony concludes with a triumphant brass fanfare that resolves the tension established in the opening bars.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
the moving parts inside a machine, especially a clock or watch.
the inner mechanism of a timepiece or similar device that produces and regulates motion.
Simple“The watchmaker carefully cleaned the tiny gears of the watch movement.”
In context“The antique clock features a complex mechanical movement that requires manual winding every twenty-four hours to maintain accuracy.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
one instance of a plane taking off or landing at an airport.
a single operation of an aircraft taking off or landing at an airfield.
Simple“The busy airport handles over a thousand aircraft movements every day.”
In context“Air traffic controllers must coordinate hundreds of daily movements to ensure safe separation between arriving and departing flights.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
a polite way to talk about going to the toilet to pass solid waste.
an act of defecation; often used in medical contexts as a shortened form of 'bowel movement'.
Simple“The doctor asked the patient if they had experienced a regular movement.”
In context“Post-operative care includes monitoring the patient for their first bowel movement to ensure the digestive system is functioning correctly.”
Synonymsdefecation
Usage movement of people · movement of electrons · movement cause
From Middle English mevement, from Old French movement (modern French mouvement), from movoir + -ment; cf. also Medieval Latin movimentum, from Latin movere (“move”). Doublet of moment and momentum. In this sense, displaced native Old English styring, which led to Modern English stirring. Morphologically move + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.