instance

(ĭn'stəns)
n.

1. 1. An example that is cited to prove or invalidate a contention or illustrate a point. See synonyms at example.
   2. A case or an occurrence: In all such instances, let conscience be your guide.
2. Law. A legal proceeding or process; a suit.
3. A step in a process or series of events: You should apply in the first instance to the personnel manager.
4. 1. A suggestion or request: called at the instance of his attorney.
   2. Archaic. Urgent solicitation.
5. Obsolete. An impelling motive.

tr.v., -stanced, -stanc·ing, -stanc·es.

1. To offer as an example; cite.
2. To demonstrate or show by an example; exemplify.

idiom:

for instance

1. As an example; for example.

[Middle English instaunce, from Old French instance, request, instant, and from Medieval Latin īnstantia, example, both from Latin, presence, from īnstāns, īnstant-, present. See instant.]

View more Technology videos

(1) A single copy of a running program. Multiple instances of a program mean that the program has been loaded into memory several times.

(2) In object technology, a member of a class; for example, "Lassie" is an instance of the class "dog." When an instance is created, the initial values of its instance variables are assigned.

Download Computer Desktop Encyclopedia to your PC, iPhone or Android.

noun

1. One that is representative of a group or class: case, example, illustration, representative, sample, specimen. See substitute.
2. A legal proceeding to demand justice or enforce a right: action, case, cause, lawsuit, suit. See law.
3. Urgent solicitation: insistence, insistency, pressing. See continue/stop/pause, seek/avoid.

verb

1. To refer to by name: cite, mention, name, specify. See specific/general.
2. To demonstrate and clarify with examples: exemplify, illustrate. See show/hide.

IN BRIEF: n. - An item of information that is representative of a type; An occurrence of something. v. - Clarify by giving an example of.

Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; peacocks and lilies, for instance. — John Ruskin, Source: The Stones of Venice

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

For a list of words related to instance, see:

• Order, Hierarchy, and Systems - instance: example, case; one stage viewed as part of process

---

See words rhyming with "instance."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Instance.

Common misspelling(s) of instance

• instatance

Dansk (Danish)
n. - eksempel, tilfælde, foranledning, instans
v. tr. - anføre som eksempel

idioms:

• at the instance of    foranlediget af, på foranledning af
• for instance    for eksempel
• in the first instance    først, til at begynde med, for det første

Nederlands (Dutch)
geval, instantie, voorbeeld, verzoek, een voorbeeld geven

Français (French)
n. - cas, exemple, demande, (en premier) lieu
v. tr. - illustrer, citer en exemple

idioms:

• at first instance    en premier lieu
• at the instance of    sur la demande de
• for instance    par exemple
• in the first instance    en premier lieu
• in the second instance    en second lieu

Deutsch (German)
n. - Fall, Beispiel, Instanz
v. - als Beispiel anführen

idioms:

• at first instance    (Recht) erste Instanz
• at the instance of    auf Ersuchen von, auf Betreiben von
• for instance    zum Beispiel, beispielsweise
• in the first instance    zuerst einmal
• in the second instance    danach, dann, später

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - περίπτωση, παράδειγμα, περιστατικό
v. - αναφέρω ή δείχνω με παράδειγμα, φέρω ως παράδειγμα

idioms:

• at the instance of    κατ' αίτησιν του, με αίτηση του
• for instance    για παράδειγμα, παραδείγματος χάριν
• in the first instance    εν πρώτοις, κατά πρώτον λόγο, πρωτοδίκως

Italiano (Italian)
caso, esempio, istanza, citare ad esempio

idioms:

• at the instance of    su richiesta di
• do something at someone's instance    fare qualcosa su richiesta di qualcuno
• for instance    per esempio
• in the first instance    prima di tutto

Português (Portuguese)
n. - exemplo (m), instância (f)
v. - citar como exemplo

idioms:

• at someone's instance    por vontade ou sugestão de alguém
• at the instance of    a pedido de
• for instance    por exemplo
• in the first instance    primeiramente

Русский (Russian)
пример, причина, приводить в пример

idioms:

• at someone's instance    по чьей-л.просьбе
• at the instance of    по чьей-л. просьбе
• for instance    например
• in the first instance    в первую очередь

Español (Spanish)
n. - caso, ejemplo, instancia
v. tr. - poner por caso o ejemplo, citar

idioms:

• at first instance    en primer lugar, en primera instancia
• at the instance of    a petición de
• for instance    por ejemplo
• in the first instance    en primer lugar
• in the second instance    en segunda instancia, en segundo lugar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - exempel, instans (jur.), fall
v. - anföra som exempel, exemplifiera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
例证, 情况, 建议, 引以为例, 获得例证

idioms:

• at the instance of    经...提议
• for instance    例如
• in the first instance    首先, 起初

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 例證, 情況, 建議
v. tr. - 引以為例, 獲得例證

idioms:

• at the instance of    經...提議
• for instance    例如
• in the first instance    首先, 起初

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 실례, 단계, 의뢰
v. tr. - 보기로 들다, 예증하다

idioms:

• at the instance of    ~의 의뢰로, ~의 발기로
• in the first instance    제 1심에서, 첫째로

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 例, 実例, 場合, 依頼
v. - 例に挙げる, 例に引く

idioms:

• at someone's instance    人の強要によって
• at the instance of    依頼により
• for instance    たとえば

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) اقتراح, طلب, مثال (فعل) يشرح من خلال مثال, يضرب مثلا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮דוגמה, מקרה מסוים, תביעה משפטית‬
v. tr. - ‮הדגים, הביא כדוגמה, לפי דרישת‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.