# instruction

Pronunciation: say "in-STRUK-shuhn" /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/

## Noun

1. A set of directions provided by a manufacturer for people who use its product or service.
   - Simple: Directions from a company that tell you how to use a product.
   - _The instruction booklet that came with the blender explains each speed setting._
   - _According to the manufacturer's instructions, the filter should be replaced every three months._
2. The act or process of teaching people, or of passing on knowledge or information to them.
   - Simple: The act of teaching someone or giving them information or knowledge.
   - _Classroom instruction now blends lectures with hands-on group work._
   - _New recruits receive six weeks of intensive instruction before their first assignment._
3. An order or command given to someone, directing what they should do.
   - Simple: An order that tells someone what to do.
   - _The pilot received an instruction from air traffic control to change altitude._
   - _Staff were given strict instructions not to discuss the merger with reporters._
4. A particular piece of information or knowledge passed on through teaching.
   - Simple: A piece of knowledge or information that someone teaches you.
   - _One instruction from her driving teacher (look where you want the car to go) became second nature._
   - _The apprentice wrote down every instruction the carpenter shared about joining wood._
5. A single operation that a processor can carry out, defined by its instruction set architecture.
   - Simple: One basic step that the main chip in a computer can carry out.
   - _The processor fetches one instruction at a time from memory and decodes it._
   - _The compiler translates each line of source code into machine instructions._
6. The directions a client gives to their lawyer regarding a particular legal matter, which define the purpose and scope of the lawyer's work.
   - Simple: Directions that a person gives to their lawyer about what to do in a case.
   - _Counsel confirmed she had received instruction to appeal the ruling._
   - _The firm's instructions were limited to drafting the contract, not negotiating its terms._

## Origin

From Middle English "instruccioun," from Old French "instruccion," from Latin "instructio"; it is equivalent to "instruct" plus the suffix "-ion."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/instruction (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).