make a move

Verb

make a move (third-person singular simple present makes a move, present participle making a move, simple past and past participle made a move)

1. (idiomatic) To take action.
2. (India, UK, idiomatic) To depart from a place; to set off.
   • He swallowed hard on his tea. —Well, ah must be making a move. Thanks again.1994 [1993], Irvine Welsh, “The First Shag in Ages”, in Trainspotting, London: Minerva, →ISBN, page 149
   • “We'll give you a lift, darling,” Lady Genevieve said languidly, rising. “It's time we made a move.”2000, Carola Dunn, Rattle His Bones (2011 Macmillan ed.), p. 173 (Google preview)
3. (idiomatic, often) To initiate a conversation or perform an action intended to engage the willing attention of a person in whom one has a romantic or sexual interest; to approach someone of romantic or sexual appeal in hopes of escalating to a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship.
   • [T]he video how-to site Howcast . . . breaks from its more staid counterparts, such as Expert Village and eHow, by injecting a necessary dose of humor. Come here to learn "how to make a move on a girl while watching a movie on a couch".2007, Anita Hamilton, “50 Best Websites 2008: Howcast”, in Time, retrieved 13 Jul 2014
4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see make, move.