[ex.am.ple] n [ME, fr. MF, fr. L exemplum, fr. eximere to take out, fr. ex- + emere to take--more at redeem] (14c) 1: one that serves as a pattern to be imitated or not to be imitated "a good ~" "a bad ~"
2: a punishment inflicted on someone as a warning to others; also: an individual so punished
3: one (as an item or incident) that is representative of all of a group or type
4: a parallel or closely similar case esp. when serving as a precedent or model
5: an instance (as a problem to be solved) serving to illustrate a rule or precept or to act as an exercise in the application of a rule syn see instance, model -- for example : as an example "there are many sources of air pollution; exhaust fumes, for example"
[2]example vt ex.am.pled ; ex.am.pling (15c) 1: to serve as an example of
2. archaic: to be or set an example to