divine motion

USAGE SUMMARY

"divine motion" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to the idea of movement or action that is believed to be guided or influenced by a divine or spiritual force. Example: The monks believed that the river's incessant flow was a symbol of divine motion, reminding them of the ever-changing nature of life.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The ancient Greeks referred to plot as mythos, attributing the random drift of human affairs to some sort of unknowable but glimpsable divine motion, attempting to attach a certain grandeur to it, the delusion of meaning.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

And yet Judas and the Jews (to whom the word "Judas" is etymologically linked) are blamed for setting this divine plan in motion.

The New York Times - Books

This is the Tagore we see in a poem like "The Restless One," which pictures the divine as pure motion: You race on, race on, furiously you race Wild, running apace, Never turning your face; Whatever you have, you scatter with both hands as you go.

The New Yorker

The philosophers consider both natural motion and divine action to occur for the sake of an end, though they consider the latter to differ from the former in an important way.

SEP

He narrates a curdled tale, too, which begins like a passage from The Master and Margarita: "Time was at the beginning of the evening and the moon was melting upward with those stars that were with him when love divine first set in motion those beautiful things".

Vice

How hard must we try to set into motion a love divine?" The song then blooms, with drums punching solidly in half time, while a thrush of bells hovers around Adebimpe's vocal.

The New Yorker

In the latter point he was right, for men seem to have assumed that a body that was eternally in motion was also divine in nature; and, as such a body was different from any of the terrestrial elements, they determined to call it 'ether'ether

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A love spat between gods is presented as human comedy, in motion touched by the divine.

The New York Times - Arts

Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language "Divines" "Elle Nerudada" "The Salesman" "Toni Erdmann".

Huffington Post

But formerly it was mostly aired, then snuffed, in living rooms, with television slow motion rendering the athletes more divine than human.

The New York Times

Mark Antony had lost the support of many Romans and supporters of Caesar when he, at first, opposed the motion to elevate Caesar to divine status.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "divine motion", consider the specific religious or philosophical context. The phrase often implies a sense of purpose or guidance beyond mere physical movement.

Common error

Avoid using "divine motion" in contexts where it's not appropriate or relevant. Using it casually may sound affected or out of place in non-religious discussions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "divine motion" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where the adjective "divine" modifies the noun "motion". Ludwig AI suggests that this implies that motion is attributed to a higher power or spiritual force. It describes a movement with a sacred or godly origin.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "divine motion" is a grammatically sound but infrequent phrase used to describe movement or action believed to be guided by a divine or spiritual entity. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and explains its implication of purposeful movement driven by a higher power. While not commonly used, when used it appears in contexts like philosophical, theological, or literary discussions. Though it may be tempting, overuse should be avoided in secular contexts in order to avoid sounding pretentious or out of place. Related phrases include "celestial movement", "sacred momentum", and "spiritual impulse" which offer similar but slightly nuanced interpretations. It’s typically employed in formal and academic settings, as confirmed by the various examples found by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

celestial movement

Replaces "divine" with "celestial", focusing on the heavenly or astronomical aspect of the movement.

divine impetus

Replaces "motion" with "impetus", suggesting an initial force or stimulus from a divine source.

divine impetus

Swaps "motion" with "impetus", highlighting the driving force behind the divine.

sacred momentum

Substitutes "motion" with "momentum", suggesting a force or impetus behind the movement, and "divine" with "sacred", emphasizing the holy nature.

godly propulsion

Uses "godly" as a synonym for "divine" and replaces "motion" with "propulsion", implying a driving force.

spiritual impulse

Replaces both words to highlight the internal drive or urge stemming from a spiritual source, rather than the physical movement itself.

sacred flow

Uses "flow" to represent continuous movement, highlighting its sacred or holy quality.

providential course

Emphasizes the guiding hand of providence in directing a particular path or course of action.

heavenly progress

Focuses on advancement or development that is inspired or guided by a divine power.

god's command

Shifts the focus to the idea of an order or directive originating from God, implying action in response.

FAQs

How can I use "divine motion" in a sentence?

You can use "divine motion" to describe movements or events believed to be influenced by a higher power. For instance, "The ancient Greeks attributed the course of human events to a kind of "divine motion".

What is the meaning of "divine motion"?

"Divine motion" refers to movement or action that is believed to be guided or set in motion by a divine or spiritual force. It implies a purposeful or meaningful movement beyond random chance.

What are some phrases similar to "divine motion"?

Alternatives to "divine motion" include phrases like "celestial movement", "sacred momentum", or "spiritual impulse", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "divine motion" a commonly used phrase?

While grammatically correct, "divine motion" is not a particularly common phrase. Its usage is typically limited to religious, philosophical, or literary contexts.