a self-propelled, vehicular engine, powered by steam, a diesel, or electricity, for pulling or, sometimes, pushing a train or individual railroad cars.
2.
an organized group cheer, usually led by a cheerleader, as at a football or basketball game, that begins slowly and progressively increases in speed in such a way as to suggest a steam locomotive.
3.
Archaic. any self-propelled vehicle.
–adjective
4.
of or pertaining to locomotives.
5.
of, pertaining to, or aiding in locomotion or movement from place to place: the locomotive powers of most animals.
6.
moving or traveling by means of its own mechanism or powers.
7.
serving to produce such movement; adapted for or used in locomotion: locomotive organs.
8.
having the power of locomotion: an animal that is locomotive at birth.
[Origin: 1605–15; < L locō, abl. of locus place + motive(adj.); cf. ML in locō movérī to change position]
A self-propelled vehicle, usually electric or diesel-powered, for pulling or pushing freight or passenger cars on railroad tracks.
A driving or pulling force; an impetus: "The US could no longer serve as the locomotive for the world economy"(George Soros).
adj.
Of, relating to, or involved in locomotion.
Serving to put into motion or propel forward: "It may be that the founding fathers overestimated the locomotive force of the collective and mutual self-interest"(Ian Davidson).
Able to move independently from place to place.
Of or relating to a self-propelled locomotive.
Of or relating to travel.
[Latin locō, from a place, ablative of locus, place + Medieval Latin mōtīvus, causing motion; see motive.]
1612, "pertaining to movement," from Fr. locomotif (fem. locomotive), from L. loco "from a place" (abl. of locus "place") + L.L. motivus "moving" (see motive). The noun meaning "railroad engine" is from 1829, short for locomotive engine (1815).
Driv"ing\, a. 1. Having great force of impulse; as, a driving wind or storm. 2. Communicating force; impelling; as, a driving shaft. Driving axle, the axle of a driving wheel, as in a locomotive. Driving box (Locomotive), the journal box of a driving axle. See Illust. of Locomotive. Driving note (Mus.), a syncopated note; a tone begun on a weak part of a measure and held through the next accented part, thus anticipating the accent and driving it through. Driving spring, a spring fixed upon the box of the driving axle of a locomotive engine to support the weight and deaden shocks. [Eng.] --Weale. Driving wheel (Mach.), a wheel that communicates motion; one of the large wheels of a locomotive to which the connecting rods of the engine are attached; -- called also, simply, driver. See Illust. of Locomotive.
Driv"ing\, a. 1. Having great force of impulse; as, a driving wind or storm. 2. Communicating force; impelling; as, a driving shaft. Driving axle, the axle of a driving wheel, as in a locomotive. Driving box (Locomotive), the journal box of a driving axle. See Illust. of Locomotive. Driving note (Mus.), a syncopated note; a tone begun on a weak part of a measure and held through the next accented part, thus anticipating the accent and driving it through. Driving spring, a spring fixed upon the box of the driving axle of a locomotive engine to support the weight and deaden shocks. [Eng.] --Weale. Driving wheel (Mach.), a wheel that communicates motion; one of the large wheels of a locomotive to which the connecting rods of the engine are attached; -- called also, simply, driver. See Illust. of Locomotive.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [loh-kuh-moh-tiv] Pronunciation Key 
