22 PHRASE If you are on the move , you are going from one place to another. □ Jack never wanted to stay in one place for very long, so they were always on the move.
23 to move the goalposts → see goalpost
24 to move a muscle → see muscle
▸ move about → see move around
▸ move along
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone, especially a police officer, tells you to move along , or if they move you along , they tell you to stop standing in a particular place and to go somewhere else. □ [V P ] Curious pedestrians were ordered to move along. □ [V n P ] Our officers are moving them along and not allowing them to gather in large groups. [Also V P n]
2 PHRASAL VERB If a process moves along or if something moves it along , it progresses. □ [V P ] Research tends to move along at a slow but orderly pace. □ [V n P ] Delay is part of the normal process, but I hope we can move things along.
▸ move around in BRIT, also use move about PHRASAL VERB If you move around or move about , you keep changing your job or keep changing the place where you live. □ [V P ] I was born in Fort Worth but we moved around a lot and I was reared in east Texas. □ [V P n] He moved around the country working in orange groves.
▸ move away PHRASAL VERB If you move away , you go and live in a different town or area of a country. □ [V P ] He moved away and broke off relations with the family.
▸ move down PHRASAL VERB If someone or something moves down , they go to a lower level, grade, or class. □ [V P ] Gold prices moved down. [Also V P n]
▸ move in
1 PHRASAL VERB When you move in somewhere, you begin to live there as your home. □ [V P ] Her house was in perfect order when she moved in. □ [V P + with ] He loses his job and is forced to move in with his father . □ [V P together ] We'd been seeing each other for a year when he suggested we should move in together.
2 PHRASAL VERB If police, soldiers, or attackers move in , they go towards a place or person in order to deal with or attack them. □ [V P ] Police moved in to disperse the crowd. □ [V P + on ] Forces were moving in on the town.
3 PHRASAL VERB If someone moves in on an area of activity which was previously only done by a particular group of people, they start becoming involved with it for the first time. □ [V P + on ] He saw an opportunity to move in on a rapidly growing business. [Also V P ]
▸ move into PHRASAL VERB If you move into a new house, you start living there. □ [V P n] I want you to move into my apartment. We've a spare room.
▸ move off PHRASAL VERB When you move off , you start moving away from a place. □ [V P ] Gil waved his hand and the car moved off.
▸ move on
1 PHRASAL VERB When you move on somewhere, you leave the place where you have been staying or waiting and go there. □ [V P prep/adv] Mr Brooke moved on from Paris to Belgrade. □ [V P ] What's wrong with his wanting to sell his land and move on?
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone such as a police officer moves you on , they order you to stop standing in a particular place and to go somewhere else. □ [V n P ] Eventually the police were called to move them on. [Also V P n]
3 PHRASAL VERB If you move on , you finish or stop one activity and start doing something different. □ [V P + to ] She ran this shop for ten years before deciding to move on to fresh challenges. □ [V P ] Now, can we move on and discuss the vital business of the day.
▸ move out PHRASAL VERB If you move out , you stop living in a particular house or place and go to live somewhere else. □ [V P ] The harassment had become too much to tolerate and he decided to move out. □ [V P + of ] They had a huge row and Sally moved out of the house.
▸ move over
1 PHRASAL VERB If you move over to a new system or way of doing something, you change to it. □ [V P + to ] We moved over to the Danish system of collecting the milk directly from the farm. [Also V P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone moves over , they leave their job or position in order to let someone else have it. □ [V P ] They said Mr Jenkins should make balanced programmes about the Black community or move over and let someone else who can.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you move over , you change your position in order to make room for someone else. □ [V P ] Move over and let me drive.
▸ move up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you move up , you change your position, especially in order to be nearer someone or to make room for someone else. □ [V P ] Move up, John, and let the lady sit down.
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone or something moves up , they go to a higher level, grade, or class. □ [V P ] Share prices moved up. □ [V P n] Children learn in mixed-ability classes and move up a class each year.
move|able /muː vəb ə l/ → see movable
move|ment ◆◆◇ /muː vmənt/ (movements )
1 N‑COUNT A movement is a group of people who share the same beliefs, ideas, or aims. □ It's part of a broader Hindu nationalist movement that's gaining strength throughout the country.
2 N‑VAR Movement involves changing position or going from one place to another. □ There was movement behind the window in the back door. □ [+ of ] A man was directing the movements of a large removal van.
3 N‑VAR A movement is a planned change in position that an army makes during a battle or military exercise. □ There are reports of fresh troop movements across the border.