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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Instance \In"stance\, n. [F. instance, L. instantia, fr.
instans. See {Instant}.]
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1. The act or quality of being instant or pressing; urgency;
solicitation; application; suggestion; motion.
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Undertook at her instance to restore them. --Sir W.
Scott.
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2. That which is instant or urgent; motive. [Obs.]
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The instances that second marriage move
Are base respects of thrift, but none of love.
--Shak.
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3. Occasion; order of occurrence.
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These seem as if, in the time of Edward I., they
were drawn up into the form of a law, in the first
instance. --Sir M. Hale.
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4. That which offers itself or is offered as an illustrative
case; something cited in proof or exemplification; a case
occurring; an example; as, we could find no instance of
poisoning in the town within the past year.
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Most remarkable instances of suffering. --Atterbury.
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5. A token; a sign; a symptom or indication. --Shak.
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{Causes of instance}, those which proceed at the solicitation
of some party. --Hallifax.

{Court of first instance}, the court by which a case is first
tried.

{For instance}, by way of example or illustration; for
example.

{Instance Court} (Law), the Court of Admiralty acting within
its ordinary jurisdiction, as distinguished from its
action as a prize court.

Syn: Example; case. See {Example}.
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Instance \In"stance\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Instanced}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Instancing}.]
To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite; as, to
instance a fact. --H. Spenser.
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I shall not instance an abstruse author. --Milton.
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Instance \In"stance\, v. i.
To give an example. [Obs.]
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This story doth not only instance in kingdoms, but in
families too. --Jer. Taylor.
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