A Quick and Simple Dictionary

instance

1. Noun.  (obsolete) Urgency of manner or words; an urgent request; insistence. (defdate, 14th-19th c.) .
2. Noun.  A case offered as an exemplification or a precedent; an illustrative example. (defdate, from 16th c.) .
3. Noun.  A recurring occasion, case etc.
4. Noun.  (obsolete) A piece of evidence; a proof or sign (of something). (defdate, 16th-18th c.) .
5. Noun.  (computing) In object-oriented programming: a created object, one that has had memory allocated for local data storage; an instantiation of a class. (defdate, from 20th c.) .
6. Noun.  (computer science) A question that can be asked in the context of a computational problem.Instances are questions that we can ask, and solutions are desired answers to these questions. See Models.
7. Verb.  (transitive) To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite; as, to instance a fact.
8. Verb.  (intransitive) To cite an example as proof; to exemplify.