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Definition - Noun
[Anglo-French, from Latin motion- motio movement, from movEre to move]
1  : a proposal for action
esp
: a formal proposal made in a legislative assembly <made a ~ to refer the bill to committee>
2 a  : an application made to a court or judge to obtain an order, ruling, or direction <a ~ to arrest judgment>
also
: a document containing such an application
b  : the initiative of a court to issue an order, ruling, or direction <the court is given discretion to order a pretrial conference either on its own ~ or at the request of a party ­J. H. Friedenthal et al.>

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Based on Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©2001. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. http://www.m-w.com