# moves

/ˈmuvz/ (US) · /mˈuːvz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/moves
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. to change homes

verb · CEFR A2

to leave your current house and go to live in a new one.

For teachers: to change one's place of residence or business; often used with the preposition 'to'.

- My best friend moves to a different city next month for a new job.
- The family moves frequently due to the father's military career, having lived in four different countries in the last decade.

### 3. to affect emotions

verb · CEFR B2

to cause someone to feel a strong emotion, especially sadness or sympathy.

For teachers: to evoke a strong emotional response, typically of pity, sympathy, or gratitude.

- The film's sad ending moves everyone who watches it to tears.
- The speaker's account of her childhood struggles moves the audience deeply, prompting a standing ovation and significant donations to the charity.

### 4. actions in a game

noun · CEFR A2

the actions a player takes when it is their turn in a game like chess.

For teachers: the act of changing the position of a piece or taking a turn in a board game or strategic contest.

- He carefully considers his moves before touching any of the chess pieces.
- The grandmaster's opening moves were designed to test his opponent's familiarity with rare defensive variations.

### 5. dancing ability

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

the way someone dances, especially if they are very good at it.

For teachers: a person's repertoire of dance steps or their general ability to dance rhythmically.

- Everyone was impressed when he showed off his moves on the dance floor.
- Despite his professional exterior, the CEO surprised his employees with some impressive moves during the annual holiday party.

### 6. strategic actions

noun · CEFR B2

actions taken to achieve a specific result or to solve a problem.

For teachers: a calculated action taken to achieve a specific purpose or to advance a career or project.

- Buying that small company was one of the smartest moves the bank ever made.
- The diplomat's latest moves suggest a genuine desire to de-escalate the conflict before the winter sets in.

## Examples

- She showed us her new dance moves.
- The company's recent moves in the tech market suggest they are planning to launch a new smartphone soon.
- In a series of calculated political moves, the senator managed to secure enough bipartisan support to pass the controversial environmental bill before the end of the session.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.