Instance — Defs

01 n. The act or quality of being instant or pressing; urgency; solicitation; application; suggestion; motion.

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.[Obs.]
“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.
“Most remarkable instances of suffering.” — Atterbury.
5.
A token; a sign; a symptom or indication.

Phrases & compounds

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.

For instance — by way of example or illustration.

Instance Court — the Court of Admiralty acting within its ordinary jurisdiction, as distinguished from its action as a prize court.

Syn. Example; case. See Example.

02 v. t. 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

1.
To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite; as, to instance a fact.
“I shall not instance an abstruse author.” — Milton.

03 v. i. To give an example.

1.
To give an example.[Obs.]
“This story doth not only instance in kingdoms, but in families too.” — Jer. Taylor.