— instrumentally , adv.
/in'streuh men"tl/ , adj.
1. serving or acting as an instrument or means; useful; helpful.
2. performed on or written for a musical instrument or instruments: instrumental music.
3. of or pertaining to an instrument or tool.
4. Gram.
a. (in certain inflected languages, as Old English and Russian) noting or pertaining to a case having as its distinctive function the indication of means or agency, as Old English beseah blithe andweitan "looked with a happy countenance."
b. noting the affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.
c. similar to such a case form in function or meaning, as the Latin instrumental ablative, gladio, "by means of a sword."
d. (in case grammar) pertaining to the semantic role of a noun phrase that indicates the inanimate, nonvolitional, immediate cause of the action expressed by a verb, as the rock in The rock broke the window or in I broke the window with the rock.
n.
5. Gram.
a. the instrumental case.
b. a word in the instrumental case.
c. a construction of similar meaning.
6. a musical composition played by an instrument or a group of instruments. Cf. vocal (def. 8).
[ 1350-1400; ME instrumentalis. See INSTRUMENT, -AL 1 ]
Syn. 1. implemental, effectual, effective.