[ad. L. ēmōtiōn-em, n. of action f. ē-movē-re, f. ē out + movē-re to move.]
† 1. A moving out, migration, transference from one place to another. Obs.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1610), 3. The diuers emotions of that people [the Turkes].
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. (1723), 45. Some accidental Emotion … of the Center of Gravity.
† 2. A moving, stirring, agitation, perturbation (in physical sense). Obs.
1693. Locke, Educ., 7. When Exercise has … left any Emotion in his Blood or Pulse.
1708. O. Bridgman, in Phil. Trans., XXVI. 138. Thunder … caused so great an Emotion in the Air.
1755. Porter, ibid. LXIX. 118. The horses rose from their litter with violent emotions. Ibid. (1758), L. 647. The waters continuing in the caverns … caused the emotion or earthquake.
1772. Monro, ibid. LXII. 18. A diluted spirit of vitriol … occasioned no … emotion.
a. 1822. Shelley, Love’s Philos., 6. The winds of heaven mix forever With a sweet emotion.
† 3. transf. A political or social agitation; a tumult, popular disturbance. Obs.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., II. (1599), 74. There were now great stirres and emotions in Lombardie.
1709. Addison, Tatler, No. 24, ¶ 13. Accounts of Publick Emotions, occasion’d by the Want of Corn.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. 1826, X. 432. Even in England some emotions were excited in favour of the duke [Robert of Normandy, in 1103].
4. fig. Any agitation or disturbance of mind, feeling, passion; any vehement or excited mental state.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., 453 (R.). By the emotions of humanity, by the meltings of a worthy disposition.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 432, ¶ 9. I hope to see the Pope … without violent Emotions.
1762. Kames, Elem. Crit., ii. § 2 (1833), 37. The joy of gratification is properly called an emotion.
1785. Reid, Int. Powers, 725. The emotion raised by grand objects is awful.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth., iii. Desirous that his emotion should not be read upon his countenance.
b. Psychology. A mental ‘feeling’ or ‘affection’ (e.g., of pleasure or pain, desire or aversion, surprise, hope or fear, etc.), as distinguished from cognitive or volitional states of consciousness. Also abstr. ‘feeling’ as distinguished from the other classes of mental phenomena.
1808. Med. Jrnl., XIX. 422. Sea-sickness … is greatly under the dominion of emotion, and passions of the mind.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess. Friendship, Wks. (Bohn), I. 81. In poetry … the emotions of benevolence and complacency … are likened to the material effects of fire.
1842. Kingsley, Lett. (1878), I. 61. The intellect is stilled, and the Emotions alone perform their involuntary functions.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), II. xi. 231. He … almost denounces me … for referring Religion to the region of Emotion.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 249. The various emotions of pity, wonder, sternness, stamped upon their countenances.
