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单词 instance
释义
instance
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nv

An instance is a specific example or case of something. One instance of being chased by a growling dog can make a person spend his whole life being afraid of animals.
It's common to find instance used in the expression "for instance," meaning "for example." Bright colors — for instance, pink, green, and blue — can cheer you up when you're feeling sad. Instance can also mean "occurrence." Several instances of cheating might be reported after a math test, for example. In the sixteenth century, the Medieval Latin word instantia meant "example to the contrary," leading to an early definition of instance as "single objection."
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS
instant / instance

Around the Vocabulary.com office, we might like an instance of tea, but we vehemently oppose instant tea.

That's because instance means an example or an occurrence:

Police investigated five instances of criminal mischief to motor vehicles on Forest Avenue

A student in the engineering academy, for instance, would have to take three engineering-specific electives.

There was an instance in a game in August where the catwalk came into play.

Instant, on the other hand, mean immediately or urgently:

Easy Reader: Philip Roth's Nemesis an Instant Classic

Starbucks announced last summer it would start retailing flavored instant coffee, and here it is.

Now think about the times when you fell victim to the instant desire to buy that new shinny thing.

Oddly enough, the two are related. Instance dates back to 1380 as meaning the current time, but it comes from the Medieval Latin (through Old French) instantia, which refers to both presence and urgency. Instant dates to about the same time, prior to 1398, as meaning a specific moment. It comes from the Medieval Latin instantem, meaning present and urgent. Instant picked up its modern meaning of immediately around 1443 from its English definition and instance seems to have never meant urgency, creating a distinction between the two.

But instant tea is still disgusting.

WORD FAMILY
instance: instanced, instances, instancing
USAGE EXAMPLES
Tai chi, for instance, is an effective approach to accomplish this.
Washington Post(Dec 29, 2016)
“I am pleased that now voters’ voices matter and that, at least in this instance, votes count.”
Washington Post(Jan 02, 2017)
For instance, that bill eliminated the tax penalties, tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies central to the ACA’s individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
Washington Post(Jan 02, 2017)
1n an item of information that is typical of a class or group
Syn|Hypo|Hyper
example, illustration, representative
apology, excuse
a poor example
exception
an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization
case in point, precedent
an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
quintessence
the most typical example or representative of a type
sample
a small part of something intended as representative of the whole
specimen
an example regarded as typical of its class
coupon
a test sample of some substance
cross section
a sample meant to be representative of a whole population
grab sample
a single sample or measurement taken at a specific time or over as short a period as feasible
random sample
a sample grabbed at random
tasting
a small amount (especially of food or wine)
information
knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
2n an occurrence of something
another instance occurred yesterday
Syn|Hypo|Hyper
case, example
humiliation, mortification
an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or self-respect
bit, piece
an instance of some kind
clip, time
an instance or single occasion for some event
happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent
an event that happens
3v clarify by giving an example of
Syn|Hyper
exemplify, illustrate
dilate, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate, exposit, expound, flesh out, lucubrate
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
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更新时间:2025/3/10 13:01:21