ulterior motive

ulterior motive (plural ulterior motives)

1. An alternative or extrinsic reason for doing something, especially when concealed or when differing from the stated or apparent reason.
   • 1895, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 9, in The Stark Munro Letters:

     There lurks no bribe in the smell and beauty of the flower. Its charm has no ulterior motive.

   • 1941, "Poetry," Time, 8 Dec.,

     The poet is a man without a profit or any other kind of ulterior motive.

   • 2006, Philip Sington, Zoia's Gold‎, Scribner, →ISBN, page 197:

     I have an ulterior motive, of course. I want a progress report on the catalog. You've been so mysterious about the whole thing, people are starting to talk.