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# instruct

«instruct» in Mova's school dictionary: **to tell them what they must do, especially officially or…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (instruct, instructs, instructed, instructing)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To instruct someone is to tell them what they must do, especially officially or with authority. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#m1)

2) To instruct someone is to teach them a skill. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#m2)

3) (law, UK) To instruct a lawyer is to hire them to work for you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In school, teachers instruct pupils and test papers instruct: «You are instructed to answer all questions». In safety, firefighters instruct people where to go. Instructions in maths tell you the steps to follow. Phrases: instruct someone to do, instruct someone in, as instructed.

### examples

- The teacher instructed us to line up quietly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x1)
- The coach instructed the team in how to pass the ball. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x2)
- Follow the steps as instructed. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x3)
- The pilot instructed passengers to fasten their seat belts. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x4)
- Firefighters instructed everyone to leave the building. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x5)
- She instructs children in swimming at the local pool. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x6)
- The recipe instructs you to bake the cake for 30 minutes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x7)
- Then her aunt instructed her what to do. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/#x8)

### note

Regular verb: instructed. Nouns: instruction (what to do), instructor (a teacher of a skill). «Instruct someone to do something». Formal; in speech say «tell» or «teach».

### In the corpora

- [And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2KI.366/)
- [For He doth instruct him aright; his God doth teach him.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.586/)
- [Or who was His counsellor that he might instruct Him?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.849/)
- [But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the vanities by which they are instructed are but a stock;](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.306/)
- [I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.190/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «instruct» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instruct/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.