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Webster 1913 Edition


Instruct

In-struct′

,
Adj.
[L.
instructus
, p. p. of
instruere
to furnish, provide, construct, instruct; pref.
in-
in, on +
struere
. See
Structure
.]
1.
Arranged; furnished; provided.
[Obs.]
“He had neither ship instruct with oars, nor men.”
Chapman.
2.
Instructed; taught; enlightened.
[Obs.]
Milton.

In-struct′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Instructed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Instructing
.]
1.
To put in order; to form; to prepare.
[Obs.]
They speak to the merits of a cause, after the proctor has prepared and
instructed
the same for a hearing.
Ayliffe.
2.
To form by communication of knowledge; to inform the mind of; to impart knowledge or information to; to enlighten; to teach; to discipline.
Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to
instruct
her youth.
Shakespeare
3.
To furnish with directions; to advise; to direct; to command;
as, the judge
instructs
the jury
.
She, being before
instructed
of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.
Matt. xiv. 8.
Syn. – To teach; educate; inform; train; discipline; indoctrinate; direct; enjoin.

Webster 1828 Edition


Instruct

INSTRUCT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. instruo, instructum; in and struo, to set or to put on, to furnish. The L. struo is contracted from struco or strugo. See Destroy.]
1.
To teach; to inform the mind; to educate; to impart knowledge to one who was destitute of it. The first duty of parents is to instruct their children in the principles of religion and morality.
2.
To direct; to enjoin; to persuade or admonish.
She being before instructed by her mother, said, give me here the head of John the Baptist in a charger. Matt.14.
3.
To direct or command; to furnish with orders. The president instructed his envoy to insist on the restitution of the property.
4.
To inform; to advise or give notice to. On this question the court is not instructed.
5.
To model; to form; to prepare. [Not used.]

Definition 2024


instruct

instruct

English

Verb

instruct (third-person singular simple present instructs, present participle instructing, simple past and past participle instructed)

  1. (transitive) to teach by giving instructions
    Listen carefully when someone instructs you how to assemble the furniture.
  2. (transitive) to direct; to order (usage note: "instruct" is less forceful than "order", but weightier than "advise")
    The doctor instructed me to keep my arm immobilised and begin physiotherapy.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

instruct (plural instructs)

  1. (obsolete) instruction

Adjective

instruct (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) arranged; furnished; provided
    • Chapman
      He had neither ship instruct with oars, nor men.
  2. (obsolete) instructed; taught; enlightened
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)