Definition of Instance

In´stance
n.1.
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.
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; as, we could find no instance of poisoning in the town within the past year.
Most remarkable instances of suffering.
- Atterbury.
5.A token; a sign; a symptom or indication.
Causes of instance
those which proceed at the solicitation of some party.
Court of first instance
the court by which a case is first tried.
- Hallifax.
For instance
by way of example or illustration; for example.
Instance Court
(Law) the Court of Admiralty acting within its ordinary jurisdiction, as distinguished from its action as a prize court.
v. t.1.To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite; as, to instance a fact.
[imp. & p. p. Instanced ; p. pr. & vb. n. Instancing .]
I shall not instance an abstruse author.
- Milton.
v. i.1.To give an example.
This story doth not only instance in kingdoms, but in families too.
- Jer. Taylor.


Related Words

abetment, adduce, anatomize, article, as an example, aspect, atomize, call to mind, case, case history, case in point, circumstantiate, citation, cite, cite a particular, count, cross reference, datum, demonstrate, demonstration, descend to particulars, detail, document, element, emblem, encouragement, enter into detail, event, exemplar, exemplification, exemplify, explanation, exponent, facet, fact, factor, for example, for instance, give a for-instance, give full particulars, goading, ground, illustrate, improper suggestion, incidental, indecent proposal, insistence, item, itemize, matter, minor detail, minutia, minutiae, motion, name, needling, object lesson, particular, particularize, pass, point, precedent, pressing, pressure, pricking, prodding, proof, proposal, proposition, quotation, quote, reason, reference, regard, relevant instance, representative, request, resolution, respect, sample, sampling, say, sexual advance, specify, specimen, spell out, spurring, substantiate, suggestion, symbol, thing, type, typical example, urging

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Inspirational
Inspirationist
Inspirator
Inspiratory
Inspire
Inspired
Inspirer
Inspiring
Inspirit
Inspissate
Inspissation
inst.
Instability
Instable
Instableness
Install
Installation
installing
installment
Instamp
Instance Court
Instancy
Instant
Instantaneity
Instantaneous
Instantaneous axis of rotation
Instantaneous center of rotation
Instanter
Instantly
Instar
Instate
Instaurate
Instauration
Instaurator
Instaure
Instead
Insteep
Instep
instigant
Instigate
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