instruction

[in-struhk-shuhn]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR instruction ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

Origin of instruction

1375–1425; late Middle English instruccio(u)n < Latin instructiōn- (stem of instructiō). See instruct, -ion

Related formsin·struc·tion·al, adjectivemis·in·struc·tion, nounnon·in·struc·tion·al, adjectivenon·in·struc·tion·al·ly, adverbo·ver·in·struc·tion, nounpre·in·struc·tion, nounre·in·struc·tion, nounself-in·struc·tion, noun

Synonyms for instruction

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR instruction ON THESAURUS.COM

1. tutoring, coaching; training, drill, exercise; indoctrination; schooling. 5. command, mandate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for instructions

discipline, information, direction, guidance, training, schooling, preparation, teaching, lesson, directive, advice, plan, mandate, order, ruling, tuition, enlightenment, tutelage, edification, coaching

Examples from the Web for instructions

Contemporary Examples of instructions

Gang warlords, locked down in Super Maxes like Pelican Bay pass on instructions to thousands of followers.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs
Seth Ferranti
December 11, 2014
Instead, the song was listed as “blank-blank-blank-blank Tha Police” with the instructions to “fill in the blanks.”
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police'
Rich Goldstein
August 23, 2014
Dickens greeted the crowd, gave a few tips and instructions, then led us in a countdown from ten to one.
Chicago’s Running of the Bulls
Hampton Stevens
July 26, 2014
There was a phone booth with instructions in English for making direct international calls.
Is This Hemingway’s Pamplona or a Lot of Bull?
Clive Irving
July 13, 2014
There was no instructions given and no direction whatsoever from us.
Norway’s Controversial Human Zoo Is Back
Nina Strochlic
May 19, 2014

Historical Examples of instructions

Your own confessions, Eudora, do not speak well for her instructions.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
You will need practice to reap the full benefit of my instructions.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
To this I was further prompted by the nature of my instructions.
The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and California
Brevet 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 Fear
Basil King
When he had completed his instructions to the stenographer, Burke turned to Gilder and Demarest.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana

British Dictionary definitions for instructions

instructions

pl n

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

instruction

noun

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

Derived Formsinstructional, adjective

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

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.

instructions in Science

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.