[f. L. locō (see LOCOMOTIVE) + mōtiōn-em MOTION. Cf. F. locomotion, Sp. locomocion, It. locomozione.]
1. The action or power of moving from one place to another; progressive motion of an animal.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. i. 104. All progression or animall locomotion being (as Aristotle teacheth) performed tractu & pulsu.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 39. The Animal Spirits are the Soul’s immediate instrument in all Loco-motion.
1704. New Pract. Piety, 38. He has fix’d the Laws of Loco-motion in Corporeal Substances.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 134. This personal liberty consists in the power of loco-motion, of changing situation, or removing one’s person to whatsoever place one’s own inclination may direct; without imprisonment or restraint, unless by due course of law.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 395. But what is to be understood by coming to the Father? Not a locomotion surely; for … God is omnipresent.
1817. J. Evans, Excurs. Windsor, etc., 451. The Oyster … was once thought to have no power of loco-motion, but it is now ascertained, that it can move from place to place.
1856. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., I. ii. 46. One office of the cerebellum is to combine the action of the voluntary muscles for the purpose of locomotion.
1872. Huxley, Physiol., vii. 157. Movement … of the body as a whole … is termed locomotion.
1881. Burdon-Sanderson, in Nature, No. 619. 44. Those [sc. organs] of locomotion are no doubt more complicated than those of respiration or circulation.
2. Movement from place to place, esp. by artificial means; travel; also, the means of travelling.
1788. R. Graves, Recoll. Shenstone, 96. An excursion to London, upon the footing that loco-motion then was … was a matter of some importance.
1820. Edin. Rev., XXXIII. 77. Taxes upon warmth, light and locomotion.
1835. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 31. I have no taste whatever for locomotion, by earth, air, or sea.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 370. Every improvement of the means of locomotion benefits mankind morally and intellectually.
1852. H. Rogers, Ess., I. vii. 335. He spent his days in a far greater variety of scenes than usually vary the lot of a philosopher, and indulged prodigiously in locomotion.
1874. Helps, Soc. Press., ix. 131. Locomotion having so greatly increased and improved, the dwelling-place has become … of less importance.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 194. The inequality of the ground in our country is more adapted to locomotion on foot.
3. Progressive movement of an inanimate body.
1851. Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 1234. A new system of locomotion for railways.
1854. Tomlinson, trans. Arago’s Astron., 107. We have now to inquire whether the annual revolution of the sun is real, or whether this too is not an appearance caused by the earth’s locomotion.
