Word Study
instruct
CIDE DICTIONARY
instruct, a. [L. instructus, p. p. of instruere to furnish, provide, construct, instruct; pref. in- in, on + struere. See Structure.].
- Arranged; furnished; provided. Chapman. [1913 Webster]
- Instructed; taught; enlightened. Milton. [1913 Webster]
instruct, v. t.
- To put in order; to form; to prepare. [1913 Webster]"They speak to the merits of a cause, after the proctor has prepared and instructed the same for a hearing." [1913 Webster]
- To form by communication of knowledge; to inform the mind of; to impart knowledge or information to; to enlighten; to teach; to discipline. [1913 Webster]"Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth." [1913 Webster] - To furnish with directions; to advise; to direct; to command; as, the judge instructs the jury. [1913 Webster]"She, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger." [1913 Webster]"Take her in; instruct her what she has to do."
Syn. -- To teach; educate; inform; train; discipline; indoctrinate; direct; enjoin.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
instruct, v.tr.
1 (often foll. by in) teach (a person) a subject etc. (instructed her in French).
2 (usu. foll. by to + infin.) direct; command (instructed him to fill in the hole).
3 (often foll. by of, or that etc. + clause) inform (a person) of a fact etc.
4 Brit. a (of a client or solicitor) give information to (a solicitor or counsel). b authorize (a solicitor or counsel) to act for one.
1 (often foll. by in) teach (a person) a subject etc. (instructed her in French).
2 (usu. foll. by to + infin.) direct; command (instructed him to fill in the hole).
3 (often foll. by of, or that etc. + clause) inform (a person) of a fact etc.
4 Brit. a (of a client or solicitor) give information to (a solicitor or counsel). b authorize (a solicitor or counsel) to act for one.
Etymology
ME f. L instruere instruct- build, teach (as IN-(2), struere pile up)
THESAURUS
instruct
acquaint, advertise, advertise of, advise, advocate, apprise, assign, bid, brief, bring word, broaden the mind, call on, call the signals, call upon, catechize, charge, civilize, coach, command, commission, communicate, confer, consult with, counsel, declare, decree, define, demonstrate, dictate, direct, discipline, disclose, drill, edify, educate, engineer, enjoin, enlighten, familiarize, give an order, give instruction, give lessons in, give notice, give the facts, give the word, give word, ground, guide, illumine, importune, inculcate, indoctrinate, inform, issue a command, issue a writ, kibitz, lead, leave word, let know, mandate, meddle, mention to, notify, open the eyes, ordain, order, order about, pilot, prepare, prescribe, proclaim, promulgate, pronounce, propose, recommend, reeducate, report, require, rule, say the word, school, send word, serve notice, set right, sharpen the wits, show, show how, speak, steer, submit, suggest, teach, teach a lesson, teach the rudiments, tell, train, tutor, verse, warnROGET THESAURUS
instruct
Advice
VB advise, counsel, give advice, give counsel, give a piece of advice, suggest, prompt, submonish, recommend, prescribe, advocate, exhort, enjoin, enforce, charge, instruct, call, call upon, dictate, expostulate, admonish, advise with, lay heads together, consult together, compare notes, hold a council, deliberate, be closeted with, confer, consult, refer to, call in, take advice, follow advice, be advised by, have at one's elbow, take one's cue from.Command
VB command, order, decree, enact, ordain, dictate, direct, give orders, prescribe, set, appoint, mark out, set a task, prescribe a task, impose a task, set to work, put in requisition, bid, enjoin, charge, call upon, instruct, require at the hands of, exact, impose, tax, task, demand, insist on, claim, lay claim to, revendicate, reclaim, cite, summon, call for, send for, subpoena, beckon, issue a command, make a requisition, issue a requisition, promulgate a requisition, make a decree, issue a decree, promulgate a decree, make an order, issue an order, promulgate an order, give the word of command, give the word, give the signal, call to order, give the law, lay down the law, assume the command, remand, be ordered, receive an order.Information
VB tell, inform, inform of, acquaint, acquaint with, impart, impart to, make acquaintance with, apprise, advise, enlighten, awaken, transmit, let fall, mention, express, intimate, represent, communicate, make known, publish, notify, signify, specify, convey the knowledge of, let one know, have one to know, give one to understand, give notice, set before, lay before, put before, point out, put into one's head, put one in possession of, instruct, direct the attention to, announce, annunciate, report, report progress, bringword, send word, leave word, write word, telegraph, telephone, wire, retail, render an account, give an account, state, let slip, blurt out, spill the beans, unburden oneself of, let off one's chest, disclose, show cause, explain, hint, given an inkling of, give a hint, drop a hint, throw out a hint, insinuate, allude to, make allusion to, glance at, tip the wink, suggest, prompt, give the cue, breathe, whisper, whisper in the ear, give a bit of one's mind, tell one plainly, tell once for all, speak volumes, undeceive, unbeguile, set right, correct, open the eyes of, disabuse, disillusion one of, be informed of, know, learn, get scent of, get wind of, gather from, awaken to, open one's eyes to, become alive, become awake to, hear, overhear, understand, come to one's ears, come to one's knowledge, reach one's ears.Teaching
VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.For further exploring for "instruct" in Webster Dictionary Online