instrument

IN-struh-muhnt/ˈɪnstɹəmənt/

Verbinstruments, instrumenting, instrumented

10 meanings of instrument

1
nouncountable
A device, like a piano or drum, that makes music when you play it.
Like a paintbrush, but for making sounds instead of pictures.
She learned to play her first instrument at the age of six.
The orchestra tuned their instruments before the show.
Note
2
nouncountable
A tool used to do careful work or to take measurements.
Like a special tool a worker reaches for to do a careful job.
The dentist picked up a small instrument to check her teeth.
Surgeons clean their instruments after every operation.
Similartool, implement, device, utensil
3
nouncountable
A device that measures something or shows a reading, like a gauge or dial.
Like a clock face that shows you a number you need to know.
A small instrument on the wall shows the room's temperature.
The car's instruments told her the engine was too hot.
Similargauge, meter, dial, indicator
4
nouncountable
A means or way of making something happen.
Like a key that opens the door to what you want.
Education can be an instrument for change in poor communities.
They used the new law as an instrument to protect the forest.
Similarmeans, vehicle, tool, agent, medium
5
nouncountable
An official paper that records a legal agreement, like a contract or will.
Like an official paper that proves a deal or promise is real.
The lawyer asked them to sign the instrument in front of a witness.
Several legal instruments were filed with the county office.
Similardocument
Note
6
nounfigurativelycountable
A person who is used by someone else just to get what they want.
Like a hammer someone uses to do a job, then puts down.
He felt like just an instrument in his boss's plans.
They treated the young clerk as an instrument, not a person.
Similarpawn, tool, puppet, dupe
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7
verbtransitive
To plan or come up with a scheme or idea.
Like working out every step of a plan in your head first.
They instrument a plan to surprise their teacher.
She instrumented the whole scheme without anyone noticing.
Similardevise, contrive, engineer, orchestrate, hatch
Note
8
verbtransitive
To play music on an instrument, or to arrange music for instruments to play.
Like deciding which singers in a group will take each part of a song.
He learned to instrument his own tunes for a small orchestra.
The students instrumented a simple folk song for class.
Similarorchestrate, arrange, score
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9
verbtransitive
To add measuring devices to something so you can record what it does.
Like putting a thermometer on something to keep track of it.
Engineers instrument the bridge to watch how it moves.
They instrumented the engine before the test.
Similarequip, fit, outfit
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10
nounabbreviationellipsis
Short for flight instrument. It means a cockpit device that shows things like height or speed.
Each instrument in the cockpit must be checked before takeoff.
The pilot trusted her instruments when she lost sight of the ground.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin instrumentum, meaning a tool or implement. It came into English through French.