go through the motions

mo·tion  (mshn)

n.

1. The act or process of changing position or place.

2. A meaningful or expressive change in the position of the body or a part of the body; a gesture.

3. Active operation: set the plan in motion.

4. The ability or power to move: lost motion in his arm.

5. The manner in which the body moves, as in walking.

6. A prompting from within; an impulse or inclination: resigned of her own motion.

7. Music Melodic ascent and descent of pitch.

8. Law An application made to a court for an order or a ruling.

9. A formal proposal put to the vote under parliamentary procedures.

10.

a. A mechanical device or piece of machinery that moves or causes motion; a mechanism.

b. The movement or action of such a device.

v. mo·tioned, mo·tion·ing, mo·tions

v.tr.

To direct by making a gesture: motioned us to our seats.

v.intr.

To signal by making a gesture: motioned to her to enter.

Idiom:

go through the motions

To do something in a mechanical manner indicative of a lack of interest or involvement.

---

[Middle English mocioun, from Old French motion, from Latin mti, mtin-, from mtus, past participle of movre, to move; see meu- in Indo-European roots.]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

go through the motions - pretend to do something by acting as if one was really doing it; "She isn't really working--she's just going through the motions" make believe, pretend, make - represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress"