In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
INSTANCE
example, illustration, instance, representative
(noun) an item of information that is typical of a class or group; “this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome”; “there is an example on page 10”
case, instance, example
(noun) an occurrence of something; “it was a case of bad judgment”; “another instance occurred yesterday”; “but there is always the famous example of the Smiths”
exemplify, illustrate, instance
(verb) clarify by giving an example of
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
instance (plural instances)
(obsolete) Urgency of manner or words; an urgent request; insistence. [14th-19th c.]
(obsolete) A token; a sign; a symptom or indication.
(obsolete) That which is urgent; motive.
Occasion; order of occurrence.
A case offered as an exemplification or a precedent; an illustrative example. [from 16th c.]
One of a series of recurring occasions, cases, essentially the same.
(obsolete) A piece of evidence; a proof or sign (of something). [16th-18th c.]
(computing) A specific occurrence of something that is created or instantiated, such as a database, or an object of a class in object-oriented programming. [from 20th c.]
(massively multiplayer online games) A dungeon or other area that is duplicated for each player, or each party of players, that enters it, so that each player or party has a private copy of the area, isolated from other players.
(massively multiplayer online games) An individual copy of such a dungeon or other area.
Verb
instance (third-person singular simple present instances, present participle instancing, simple past and past participle instanced)
(transitive) To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite
(intransitive) To cite an example as proof; to exemplify.
Anagrams
• ancients, canniest, cantines, catenins, enactins, insectan, tenascin
Source: Wiktionary
In"stance, n. Etym: [F. instance, L. instantia, fr. instans. See Instant.]
1. The act or quality of being instant or pressing; urgency; solicitation; application; suggestion; motion. Undertook at her instance to restore them. Sir W. Scott.
2. That which is instant or urgent; motive. [Obs.] The instances that second marriage move Are base respects of thrift, but none of love. Shak.
3. Occasion; order of occurrence. These seem as if, in the time of Edward I., they were drawn up into the form of a law, in the first instance. Sir M. Hale.
4. That which offers itself or is offered as an illustrative case; something cited in proof or exemplification; a case occurring; an example. Most remarkable instances of suffering. Atterbury.
5. A token; a sign; a symptom or indication. Shak. Causes of instance, those which proceed at the solicitation of some party. Hallifax.
– Court of first instance, the court by which a case is first tried.
– For instance, by way of example or illustration.
– Instance Court (Law), the Court of Admiralty acting within its ordinary jurisdiction, as distinguished from its action as a prize court.
Syn.
– Example; case. See Example.
In"stance, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instanced; p. pr. & vb. n. Instancing.]
Definition: To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite; as, to instance a fact. H. Spenser. I shall not instance an abstruse author. Milton.
In"stance, v. i.
Definition: To give an example. [Obs.] This story doth not only instance in kingdoms, but in families too. Jer. Taylor.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
26 November 2024
TRANSPOSITION
(noun) (music) playing in a different key from the key intended; moving the pitch of a piece of music upwards or downwards
Coffee Trivia
