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more about instrumental
instrumental |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Instrumental \In`stru*men"tal\, a. [Cf. F. instrumental.] 1. Acting as an instrument; serving as a means contributing to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; as he was instrumental in conducting the business. The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more instrumental to the mouth. --Shak. 2. (Mus.) Pertaining to made by or prepared for an instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as instrumental music, distinguished from vocal music. ``He defended the use of instrumental music in public worship.'' --Macaulay. Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental sounds. --Dryden. 3. (Gram.) Applied to a case expressing means or agency; as the instrumental case. This is found in Sanskrit as a separate case, but in Greek it was merged into the dative, and in Latin into the ablative. In Old English it was a separate case, but has disappeared, leaving only a few anomalous forms. {Instrumental errors}, those errors in instrumental measurements, etc., which arise, exclusively from want of mathematical accuracy in an instrument. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: instrumental adj 1: relating to or designed for or performed on musical instruments; "instrumental compositions"; "an instrumental ensemble" [ant: {vocal}] 2: serving or acting as a means or aid; "instrumental in solving the crime" [syn: {implemental}] n : the case indicating the instrument used in performing the action of the verb [syn: {instrumental case}]
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