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



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Word of the Day

28 April 2024

POLYGENIC

(adjective) of or relating to an inheritable character that is controlled by several genes at once; of or related to or determined by polygenes


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