mov|able /muː vəb ə l/ also moveable ADJ Something that is movable can be moved from one place or position to another. □ It's a vinyl doll with movable arms and legs.
move ◆◆◆ /muː v/ (moves , moving , moved )
1 VERB When you move something or when it moves , its position changes and it does not remain still. □ [V n prep/adv] She moved the sheaf of papers into position. □ [V n] A traffic warden asked him to move his car. □ [V prep/adv] I could see the branches of the trees moving back and forth. □ [V ] The train began to move.
2 VERB When you move , you change your position or go to a different place. □ [V ] She waited for him to get up, but he didn't move. □ [V prep/adv] He moved around the room, putting his possessions together. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Move is also a noun. □ The doctor made a move towards the door. □ Daniel's eyes followed her every move.
3 VERB If you move , you act or you begin to do something. □ [V ] Industrialists must move fast to take advantage of these new opportunities.
4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A move is an action that you take in order to achieve something. □ The one point cut in interest rates was a wise move. □ The thirty-five member nations agreed to the move.
5 VERB If a person or company moves , they leave the building where they have been living or working, and they go to live or work in a different place, taking their possessions with them. □ [V ] My family home is in Yorkshire and they don't want to move. □ [V + to ] She had often considered moving to London. □ [V n] They move house fairly frequently. ● N‑COUNT Move is also a noun. □ Modigliani announced his move to Montparnasse in 1909.
6 VERB If people in authority move someone, they make that person go from one place or job to another one. □ [V n prep/adv] His superiors moved him to another parish. □ [V n] Ms Clark is still in position and there are no plans to move her.
7 VERB If you move from one job or interest to another, you change to it. □ [V + from/to ] He moved from being an extramural tutor to being a lecturer in social history. □ [V n] In the early days Christina moved jobs to get experience. ● N‑COUNT Move is also a noun. □ His move to the chairmanship means he will take a less active role in day-to-day management.
8 VERB If you move to a new topic in a conversation, you start talking about something different. □ [V + from/to ] Let's move to another subject, Dan.
9 VERB If you move an event or the date of an event, you change the time at which it happens. □ [V n + to ] The club has moved its meeting to Saturday, January 22nd. □ [V n with adv] The band have moved forward their Leeds date to October 27. [Also V n]
10 VERB If you move towards a particular state, activity, or opinion, you start to be in that state, do that activity, or have that opinion. □ [V prep/adv] Since the Convention was drawn up, international opinion has begun to move against it. ● N‑COUNT Move is also a noun. □ His move to the left was not a sudden leap but a natural working out of ideas.
11 VERB [usu cont] If a situation or process is moving , it is developing or progressing, rather than staying still. □ [V ] Events are moving fast. □ [get n V -ing] Someone has got to get things moving.
12 VERB [usu passive, with neg] If you say that you will not be moved , you mean that you have come to a decision and nothing will change your mind. □ [be V -ed] Everyone thought I was mad to go back, but I wouldn't be moved.
13 VERB If something moves you to do something, it influences you and causes you to do it. □ [V n to-inf] It was punk that first moved him to join a band seriously.
14 VERB If something moves you, it has an effect on your emotions and causes you to feel sadness or sympathy for another person. □ [V n] These stories surprised and moved me. □ [V n + to ] His prayer moved me to tears. ● moved ADJ [v-link ADJ ] □ Those who listened to him were deeply moved.
15 VERB If you say that someone moves in a particular society, circle, or world, you mean that they know people in a particular social class or group and spend most of their time with them. □ [V + in ] She moves in high-society circles in London.
16 VERB At a meeting, if you move a motion, you formally suggest it so that everyone present can vote on it. □ [V n] Labour quickly moved a closure motion to end the debate. □ [V that] I move that the case be dismissed.
17 N‑COUNT A move is an act of putting a chess piece or other counter in a different position on a board when it is your turn to do so in a game. □ With no idea of what to do for my next move, my hand hovered over the board.
18 PHRASE If you say that one false move will cause a disaster, you mean that you or someone else must not make any mistakes because the situation is so difficult or dangerous. □ He knew one false move would end in death.
19 PHRASE If you tell someone to get a move on , you are telling them to hurry. [INFORMAL ]
20 PHRASE If you make a move , you prepare or begin to leave one place and go somewhere else. □ He glanced at his wristwatch. 'I suppose we'd better make a move.'
21 PHRASE If you make a move , you take a course of action. □ The banks made a move to pull out of the deal.