instrument
Definitions of instrument
-
the means whereby some act is accomplished
-
instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an endsynonyms: outiltypes:barrea rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weaponinstrument de nettoyage, ustensile de nettoyageany of a large class of implements used for cleaninggommean implement used to erase somethingcrocheta curved or bent implement for suspending or pulling somethingaiguillea sharp pointed implement (usually steel)ramean implement used to propel or steer a boatbarrea long thin implement made of metal or woodaffûteuse, aiguisoir, lime, meule, ponceuseany implement that is used to make something (an edge or a point) sharperustensile de sportan implement used in a sportbâtonan implement consisting of a length of woodchasse-mouches, papier tue-mouchean implement with a flat part (of mesh or plastic) and a long handle; used to kill insectsoutilan implement used in the practice of a vocationaccordoir, diapasona metal implement with two prongs that gives a fixed tone when struck; used to tune musical instrumentsustensilean implement for practical use (especially in a household)archeta slightly curved piece of resilient wood with taut horsehair strands; used in playing certain stringed instrumentsbalaia cleaning implement for sweeping; bundle of straws or twigs attached to a long handletapetteimplement for beating dust out of carpetsbalai mécaniquea cleaning implement with revolving brushes that pick up dirt as the implement is pushed over a carpetustensil en céramiqueutensils made from ceramic materialcrayon, crayon graswriting implement consisting of a colored stick of composition wax used for writing and drawingcrocheta needle with a hook on the end; used in crochetingbarrea horizontal bar that goes across somethingsourcierforked stick that is said to dip down to indicate underground water or oildrille, foreusea tool with a sharp point and cutting edges for making holes in hard materials (usually rotating rapidly or by repeated blows)hameçona sharp barbed hook for catching fishcanne à pêchea rod of wood or steel or fiberglass that is used in fishing to extend the fishing linefourchean agricultural tool used for lifting or digging; has a handle and metal prongsbandetool consisting of a combination of implements arranged to work togetheroutil de jardinageused for working in gardens or yardsancre à jet, grappina tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a ropemeulea revolving stone shaped like a disk; used to grind or sharpen or polish edge toolsbrosse à cheveuxa brush used to groom a person's hairaiguille pour injection hypodermiquea hollow needlecrictool for exerting pressure or liftingaiguille à tricoterneedle consisting of a slender rod with pointed ends; usually used in pairsleviera rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrumraquette de ping-pong, raquette de tennisa short light oar used without an oarlock to propel a canoe or small boatpinceaua brush used as an applicator (to apply paint)styloa writing implement with a point from which ink flowscrayona thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in woodcharruea farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the soil and cut a furrow prior to sowingmâta long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plasticoutil à moteura tool driven by a motorraquettea sports implement (usually consisting of a handle and an oval frame with a tightly interlaced network of strings) used to strike a ball (or shuttlecock) in various gamespivota revolving rod that transmits power or motionpinceau en poil de martrean artist's brush made of sable hairsgodille, ramea long oar that is mounted at the stern of a boat and moved left and right to propel the boat forwardaiguille à coudrea needle used in sewing to pull thread through clothmanchea long rod or pole (especially the handle of an implement or the body of a weapon like a spear or arrow)bâtona strong rod or stick with a specialized utilitarian purposestylea pointed tool for writing or drawing or engravingbalaicleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floorsrails, voie ferréea bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can rollcannea stick carried in the hand for support in walkingtype of:instrumentationan artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end
-
a device that requires skill for proper useexamples:big benclock in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Londontypes:instrument de dessinateuran instrument used by a draftsman in making drawingsinstrument d'exécutionan instrument designed and used to take the life of a condemned personinstrument de châtiment, instrument de punitionan instrument designed and used to punish a condemned personinstrument de mesure, mesureurinstrument that shows the extent or amount or quantity or degree of somethinginstrument de navigationan instrument used for navigatinginstrument d'optiquean instrument designed to aid visioninstrument scientifiquean instrument used by scientistsarmeany instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or huntingfouetan instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whippingaccélérateur, accélérateur de particulesa scientific instrument that increases the kinetic energy of charged particlesaccéléromètrean instrument for measuring the acceleration of aircraft or rocketsactinomètrean instrument for measuring the intensity of electromagnetic radiation (usually by the photochemical effect)algomètredevice for measuring pain caused by pressurealtazimutan instrument that measures the altitude and azimuth of celestial bodies; used in navigationaltimètrean instrument that measures the height above ground; used in navigationatmismomètre, atmomètre, évaporimètre, évaporomètrean instrument that measures rate of evaporation of wateraudiomètrean instrument used to measure the sensitivity of hearingcardiographe, électrocardiographea medical instrument that measures the mechanical force of cardiac contractions and the amount of blood passing through the heart during a specified period by measuring the recoil of the body as blood is pumped from the ventriclesbaromètrean instrument that measures atmospheric pressurebolomètrean instrument that measures heat radiation; extremely sensitivearca weapon for shooting arrows, composed of a curved piece of resilient wood with a taut cord to propel the arrowarc et flèchesa weapon consisting of arrows and the bow to shoot themcalibre à coulissean instrument for measuring the distance between two points (often used in the plural)calorimètrea measuring instrument that determines quantities of heatcardiographe, électrocardiographemedical instrument that records electric currents associated with contractions of the heartmartinet à neuf cordesa whip with nine knotted cordschronomètre scientifique, chronoscopean instrument for accurate measurements of small intervals of timecolorimètrea measuring instrument used in colorimetric analysis to determine the quantity of a substance from the color it yields with specific reagentstube compteura measuring instrument for counting individual ionizing eventscryoscopea measuring instrument for measuring freezing and melting pointsdéclinomètrean instrument for measuring magnetic declinationdensimètrea measuring instrument for determining density or specific gravitydensitomètrea measuring instrument for determining optical or photographic densitydosimètrea measuring instrument for measuring doses of ionizing radiation (X-rays or radioactivity)dynamomètremeasuring instrument designed to measure powerchaise électriquean instrument of execution by electrocution; resembles an ordinary seat for one personélectrodynamomètremeasuring instrument that uses the interaction of the magnetic fields of two coils to measure current or voltage or powerélectro-encéphalographemedical instrument that records electric currents generated by the brainélectroscopemeasuring instrument that detects electric charge; two gold leaves diverge owing to repulsion of charges with like signeudiomètremeasuring instrument consisting of a graduated glass tube for measuring volume changes in chemical reactions between gasesforcepsan extractor consisting of a pair of pincers used in medical treatment (especially for the delivery of babies)gibet, peloton d'exécutionan instrument of execution consisting of a wooden frame from which a condemned person is executed by hangingcalibre étalona measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity such as the thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc.gravimètrea measuring instrument for measuring variations in the gravitational field of the earthpistolet, revolvera weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)gravimètrea measuring instrument for determining the specific gravity of a liquid or solidhygromètremeasuring instrument for measuring the relative humidity of the atmosphereinclinomètrea measuring instrument for measuring the angle of magnetic dip (as from an airplane)instrument de supplice, instrument de torturean instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned personplanimètrea measuring instrument for measuring the area of an irregular plane figureinterferometerany measuring instrument that uses interference patterns to make accurate measurements of waveschambre d'ionisationa measuring instrument that measures the amount of ionizing radiationknouta whip with a lash of leather thongs twisted with wire; used for flogging prisonerslochmeasuring instrument that consists of a float that trails from a ship by a knotted line in order to measure the ship's speed through the watermesuremeasuring instrument having a sequence of marks at regular intervals; used as a reference in making measurementsmissilea rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote controlnéphoscopea measuring instrument that uses a grid for measuring the altitude, direction, and velocity of movement of cloudsoctanta measuring instrument for measuring angles to a celestial body; similar to a sextant but with 45 degree calibrationpodomètremeasuring instrument for recording the number of steps taken in walkingpériscopean optical instrument that provides a view of an otherwise obstructed fieldphotomètremeasuring instrument for measuring the luminous intensity of a source by comparing it (visually or photoelectrically) with a standard sourcepipettemeasuring instrument consisting of a graduated glass tube used to measure or transfer precise volumes of a liquid by drawing the liquid up into the tubetube Pitotmeasuring instrument consisting of a combined Pitot tube and static tube that measures total and static pressure; used in aircraft to measure airspeedtube Pitotmeasuring instrument consisting of a right-angled tube with an open end that is directed in opposition to the flow of a fluid and used to measure the velocity of fluid flowpotentiomètrea measuring instrument for measuring direct current electromotive forcesprojectilea weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelledappareil de projection, projecteuran optical instrument that projects an enlarged image onto a screenrapporteurdrafting instrument used to draw or measure anglesniveaua measuring instrument for measuring altitude of heavenly bodiesradarmeasuring instrument in which the echo of a pulse of microwave radiation is used to detect and locate distant objectstélémètrea measuring instrument (acoustic or optical or electronic) for finding the distance of an objectréfractomètremeasuring instrument for measuring the refractive index of a substancebalancea measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of masscompas de proportionmeasuring instrument consisting of two graduated arms hinged at one endsismographea measuring instrument for detecting and measuring the intensity and direction and duration of movements of the ground (as an earthquake)sensitomètrea measuring instrument for measuring the light sensitivity of film over a range of exposuressextanta measuring instrument for measuring the angular distance between celestial objects; resembles an octantsonara measuring instrument that sends out an acoustic pulse in water and measures distances in terms of the time for the echo of the pulse to returnlorgnon, lunettes, monocleoptical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective visionsphéromètrea measuring instrument for measuring the curvature of a surfacetube de pression statiquea measuring instrument used to measure static pressure in a stream of fluidstéthoscopea medical instrument for listening to the sounds generated inside the bodyinstrument de chirurgiea medical instrument used in surgeryépéea cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guardtachymètremeasuring instrument for indicating speed of rotationmètre, mètre à rubanmeasuring instrument consisting of a narrow strip (cloth or metal) marked in inches or centimeters and used for measuring lengthstensiometera measuring instrument for measuring the surface tension of a liquidtensiometer, tensiomètrea measuring instrument for measuring the tension in a wire or fiber or beamtensiometera measuring instrument for measuring the moisture content of soilthermomètremeasuring instrument for measuring temperaturehorlogea measuring instrument or device for keeping timevariomètrea measuring instrument for measuring variations in a magnetic fieldmesureur de viscositéa measuring instrument for measuring viscosity
-
an implement used in the practice of a vocationsynonyms: outiltypes:drille, foreusea tool with a sharp point and cutting edges for making holes in hard materials (usually rotating rapidly or by repeated blows)fourchean agricultural tool used for lifting or digging; has a handle and metal prongsbandetool consisting of a combination of implements arranged to work togetheroutil de jardinageused for working in gardens or yardsancre à jet, grappina tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a ropecrictool for exerting pressure or liftingcharruea farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the soil and cut a furrow prior to sowingoutil à moteura tool driven by a motorstylea pointed tool for writing or drawing or engravingmèchethe cutting part of a drill; usually pointed and threaded and is replaceable in a brace or bitstock or drill presscoupeura cutting implement; a tool for cuttingponceusea power tool used for sanding wood; an endless loop of sandpaper is moved at high speed by an electric motorlimea steel hand tool with small sharp teeth on some or all of its surfaces; used for smoothing wood or metalmarteaua hand tool with a heavy rigid head and a handle; used to deliver an impulsive force by strikingchignolea small portable drill held and operated by handfourche à foina long-handled fork for turning or lifting hayouvre-boîtesa hand tool used for opening sealed containers (bottles or cans)pica thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted materialfourche à foina long-handled hand tool with sharp widely spaced prongs for lifting and pitching hayperceusea power tool for drilling holes into hard materialssciehand tool having a toothed blade for cuttingpellea hand tool for lifting loose material; consists of a curved container or scoop and a handlefer à soudera hand tool with a heatable tip; used to melt and apply solderspatulea hand tool with a thin flexible blade used to mix or spread soft substanceséquerrea hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right anglestype of:outilinstrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘instrument'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing instrument
Macbeth's "Is this a dagger..." soliloquy
from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" -- Act II Scene 1
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
In his inaugural address, President Kennedy famously declared, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."