INSTRUCTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does instruction mean? 

• INSTRUCTION (noun)
  The noun INSTRUCTION has 4 senses:

1. a message describing how something is to be done

2. the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

3. the profession of a teacher

4. (computer science) a line of code written as part of a computer program

  Familiarity information: INSTRUCTION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INSTRUCTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A message describing how something is to be done

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

direction; instruction

Context example:

he gave directions faster than she could follow them

Hypernyms ("instruction" is a kind of...):

content; message; subject matter; substance (what a communication that is about something is about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instruction"):

rule (any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order)

prescript; rule (prescribed guide for conduct or action)

rubric (directions for the conduct of Christian church services (often printed in red in a prayer book))

misdirection (incorrect directions or instructions)

address; destination; name and address (written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location)

markup (detailed stylistic instructions for typesetting something that is to be printed; manual markup is usually written on the copy (e.g. underlining words that are to be set in italics))

prescription (directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions)

formula; recipe (directions for making something)

rule (directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted)

stage direction (an instruction written as part of the script of a play)

style (editorial directions to be followed in spelling and punctuation and capitalization and typographical display)

system command (a computer user's instruction (not part of a program) that calls for action by the computer's executive program)

Derivation:

instructional (of or relating to or used in instruction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

didactics; education; educational activity; instruction; pedagogy; teaching

Context example:

good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded

Hypernyms ("instruction" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Meronyms (parts of "instruction"):

lesson (a task assigned for individual study)

homework; prep; preparation (preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home))

classwork (the part of a student's work that is done in the classroom)

classroom project (a school task requiring considerable effort)

Domain member category:

education (the profession of teaching (especially at a school or college or university))

tuition; tuition fee (a fee paid for instruction (especially for higher education))

Department of Education; Education; Education Department (the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with education (including federal aid to educational institutions and students); created 1979)

academic program ((education) a program of education in liberal arts and sciences (usually in preparation for higher education))

education (the gradual process of acquiring knowledge)

point system (a system of evaluation based on awarding points according to rules)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instruction"):

continuing education (a program of instruction designed primarily for adult students who participate part-time)

class; course; course of instruction; course of study (education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings)

elementary education (education in elementary subjects (reading and writing and arithmetic) provided to young students at a grade school)

extension; extension service; university extension (an educational opportunity provided by colleges and universities to people who are not enrolled as regular students)

extracurricular activity (educational activities not falling within the scope of the regular curriculum)

higher education (education provided by a college or university)

secondary education (education beyond the elementary grades; provided by a high school or college preparatory school)

team teaching (a method of coordinated classroom teaching involving a team of teachers working together with a single group of students)

work-study program (an educational plan in which students alternate between paid employment and formal study)

coeducation (education of men and women in the same institutions)

Derivation:

instruct (impart skills or knowledge to)

instructional (of or relating to or used in instruction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The profession of a teacher

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

instruction; pedagogy; teaching

Context example:

pedagogy is recognized as an important profession

Hypernyms ("instruction" is a kind of...):

education (the profession of teaching (especially at a school or college or university))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instruction"):

lecture; lecturing (teaching by giving a discourse on some subject (typically to a class))

spoonfeeding (teaching in an overly simplified way that discourages independent thought)

hypnopedia; sleep-learning (teaching during sleep (as by using recordings to teach a foreign language to someone who is asleep))

lesson (a unit of instruction)

tuition; tutelage; tutorship (teaching pupils individually (usually by a tutor hired privately))

schooling (the act of teaching at school)

teaching reading (teaching beginners to read)

language teaching (teaching people to speak and understand a foreign language)

catechetical instruction (teaching religious principles by questions and answers)

catechesis (oral religious instruction (as before baptism or confirmation))

indoctrination (teaching someone to accept doctrines uncritically)

Derivation:

instructional (of or relating to or used in instruction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(computer science) a line of code written as part of a computer program

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

command; instruction; program line; statement

Hypernyms ("instruction" is a kind of...):

code; computer code ((computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instruction"):

toggle (any instruction that works first one way and then the other; it turns something on the first time it is used and then turns it off the next time)

system error (an instruction that is either not recognized by an operating system or is in violation of the procedural rules)

macro; macro instruction (a single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language)

link ((computing) an instruction that connects one part of a program or an element on a list to another program or list)

command line (commands that a user types in order to run an application)

call (an instruction that interrupts the program being executed)

Holonyms ("instruction" is a part of...):

computer program; computer programme; program; programme ((computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute)

 Context examples 

Following the cook’s instructions, I had gone into Wolf Larsen’s state-room to put it to rights and make the bed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

There is also the instruction to Petrof Skinsky.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Passed from parent to child, they contain instructions for making proteins.

(Genes and Gene Therapy, Genetics Home Reference)

They hold DNA, the instructions for making proteins.

(Genetic Disorders, NIH: National Library of Medicine)

Previous research suggests that when we prepare to speak out loud, our brain creates a copy of the instructions that are sent to our lips, mouth and vocal cords.

(Talking to Ourselves And Voices in Our Heads, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

An image of reduced quality resulting from the use of instructions with missing steps.

(Incomplete Protocol Artifact, NCI Thesaurus)

An image of reduced quality resulting from the use of the wrong instructions.

(Incorrect Protocol Artifact, NCI Thesaurus)

Buck had been purposely placed between Dave and Sol-leks so that he might receive instruction.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Insufficient information on the labels or in the manuals related to a device's instructions for use e.g. steps that are difficult to follow or that are missing.

(Inadequate Instructions for Device Use Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

He lived at Sydenham, but he was likely to be in that morning for instructions, if we cared to wait for him.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)