instruction
[in-struhk-shuhn]
- the act or practice of instructing or teaching; education.
- knowledge or information imparted.
- an item of such knowledge or information.
- Usually instructions. orders or directions: The instructions are on the back of the box.
- the act of furnishing with authoritative directions.
- Computers. a command given to a computer to carry out a particular operation.
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Origin of instruction
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
disciplineinformationdirectionguidancetrainingschoolingpreparationteachinglessondirectiveadviceplanmandateorderrulingtuitionenlightenmenttutelageedificationcoachingExamples from the Web for instructions
Contemporary Examples
Gang warlords, locked down in Super Maxes like Pelican Bay pass on instructions to thousands of followers.
Instead, the song was listed as “blank-blank-blank-blank Tha Police” with the instructions to “fill in the blanks.”
Dickens greeted the crowd, gave a few tips and instructions, then led us in a countdown from ten to one.
There was a phone booth with instructions in English for making direct international calls.
There was no instructions given and no direction whatsoever from us.
Historical Examples
Your own confessions, Eudora, do not speak well for her instructions.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
You will need practice to reap the full benefit of my instructions.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
To this I was further prompted by the nature of my instructions.
The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and CaliforniaBrevet Col. J.C. Fremont
Traditions and instructions helped me in that they built the ship in which I was to put to sea.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
When he had completed his instructions to the stenographer, Burke turned to Gilder and Demarest.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
instructions
- directions, orders, or recommended rules for guidance, use, etc
- law the facts and details relating to a case given by a client to his solicitor or by a solicitor to a barrister with directions to conduct the caseto take instructions
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instruction
- a direction; order
- the process or act of imparting knowledge; teaching; education
- computing a part of a program consisting of a coded command to the computer to perform a specified function
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for instructions
instruction
n.
c.1400, instruccioun, "action or process of teaching," from Old French instruccion (14c.), from Latin instructionem (nominative instructio) "building, arrangement, teaching," from past participle stem of instruere "arrange, inform, teach," from in- "on" (see in- (2)) + struere "to pile, build" (see structure (n.)). Meaning "an authoritative direction telling someone what to do; a document giving such directions," is early 15c. Related: Instructions.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
instruction
[ĭn-strŭk′shən]
- A sequence of bits that tells a computer's central processing unit to perform a particular operation. An instruction can also contain data to be used in the operation.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.