{
    "term": "instruct",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "academic": true,
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "instruct",
            "heSheIt": "instructs"
        },
        "pastSimple": "instructed",
        "pastParticiple": "instructed",
        "ingForm": "instructing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way",
            "sensetop": "instruct somebody to do somethinginstruct somebody where, what, etc…instruct somebodyinstruct that…instruct (somebody) + speech",
            "labels": "(formal)(British English also)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The letter instructed him to report to headquarters immediately.",
                    "contextForm": "instruct somebody to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You will be instructed where to go as soon as the plane is ready.",
                    "contextForm": "instruct somebody where, what, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She arrived at 10 o'clock **as instructed**.",
                    "contextForm": "instruct somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He instructed that a wall be built around the city.",
                    "contextForm": "instruct that…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He instructed that a wall should be built around the city."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Put it there,’ she instructed (them).",
                    "contextForm": "instruct (somebody) + speech"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I took the pills as instructed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You were explicitly instructed to wait here."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "direct, order",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["carefully", "explicitly", "specifically"],
                "phrases": ["as instructed"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to teach somebody something, especially a practical skill",
            "sensetop": "instruct somebody (in something)",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "All our staff have been instructed in sign language."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to give somebody information about something",
            "sensetop": "be instructed that…",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We have been instructed that a decision will not be made before the end of the week.",
                    "contextForm": "be instructed that…"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to employ somebody to represent you in a legal situation, especially as a lawyer",
            "sensetop": "instruct somebody (to do something)",
            "labels": "(law)",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌkt/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instruct__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌkts/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructs__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌktɪd/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌktɪŋ/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructing__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌkt/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instruct__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌkts/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructs__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌktɪd/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈstrʌktɪŋ/",
                "audio": "in/instruct/instructing__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (in sense (2)): from Latin instruct- ‘constructed, equipped, taught’, from the verb instruere, from in- ‘upon, towards’ + struere ‘pile up’."
}