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# mot

noun (an MOT, MOTs — UK); noun (a mot, mots — rare: a bon mot)

«mot» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (UK) An MOT is a yearly test that cars more than a few years old must pass to show they are safe to drive on the road. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#m1)
2. (rare, from French) A mot or «bon mot» is a clever, witty remark. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#m2)

### In the lessons

In British and Irish everyday life (where Ireland calls it the NCT), parents take the car for its MOT; if it fails, it must be repaired. The letters come from the old Ministry of Transport. In books for adults, «a bon mot» is a clever saying. Phrases: «take the car for its MOT», «pass the MOT», «fail the MOT», «MOT certificate».

### Examples

- Dad's car failed its MOT because of a broken light. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x1)
- The car is due for its MOT next month. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x2)
- The garage does MOTs on Saturdays. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x3)
- You cannot legally drive an old car without a valid MOT. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x4)
- Mum was pleased the car passed its MOT. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x5)
- The writer was famous for his witty bons mots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x6)
- The MOT checks the brakes, tyres and lights. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/#x7)

### Note

In the car sense it is written in capitals, «MOT», and each letter is said: an M-O-T (so «an», because M is said «em»). Plural: MOTs. Used in the UK; other countries have their own car safety tests. In «bon mot», the t is silent: bon MOH.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mot» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mot/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mot» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mot.html) on Mova free.