INSTANCE

I. noun Date: 14th century 1. urgent or earnest solicitation, instigation, request , an impelling cause or motive, 2. exception , an individual illustrative of a category or brought forward in support or disproof of a generalization, token , sign , the institution and prosecution of a lawsuit ; suit , a step, stage, or situation viewed as part of a process or series of events , Synonyms: see: ~ II. transitive verb (~d; instancing) Date: 1601 to illustrate or demonstrate by an ~, to mention as a case or example ; cite