Definitions for: Institute


[n] an association organized to promote art or science or education
[v] avance or set forth in court; "bring charges", "institute proceedings"
[v] set up or lay the groundwork for; "establish a new department"



Webster (1913) Definition: In"sti*tute, p. a. [L. institutus, p. p. of
instituere to place in, to institute, to instruct; pref. in-
in + statuere to cause to stand, to set. See Statute.]
Established; organized; founded. [Obs.]

They have but few laws. For to a people so instruct and
institute, very few to suffice. --Robynson
(More's
Utopia).


In"sti*tute, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instituted; p.
pr. & vb. n. Instituting.]
1. To set up; to establish; to ordain; as, to institute laws,
rules, etc.

2. To originate and establish; to found; to organize; as, to
institute a court, or a society.

Whenever any from of government becomes destructive
of these ends it is the right of the people to alter
or to abolish it, and to institute a new government.
--Jefferson
(Decl. of
Indep. ).

3. To nominate; to appoint. [Obs.]

We institute your Grace To be our regent in these
parts of France. --Shak.

4. To begin; to commence; to set on foot; as, to institute an
inquiry; to institute a suit.

And haply institute A course of learning and
ingenious studies. --Shak.

5. To ground or establish in principles and rudiments; to
educate; to instruct. [Obs.]

If children were early instituted, knowledge would
insensibly insinuate itself. --Dr. H. More.

6. (Eccl. Law) To invest with the spiritual charge of a
benefice, or the care of souls. --Blackstone.

Syn: To originate; begin; commence; establish; found; erect;
organize; appoint; ordain.


In"sti*tute, n. [L. institutum: cf. F. institut. See
Institute, v. t. & a.]
1. The act of instituting; institution. [Obs.] ``Water
sanctified by Christ's institute.'' --Milton.

2. That which is instituted, established, or fixed, as a law,
habit, or custom. --Glover.

3. Hence: An elementary and necessary principle; a precept,
maxim, or rule, recognized as established and
authoritative; usually in the plural, a collection of such
principles and precepts; esp., a comprehensive summary of
legal principles and decisions; as, the Institutes of
Justinian; Coke's Institutes of the Laws of England. Cf.
Digest, n.

They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy.
--Burke.

To make the Stoics' institutes thy own. --Dryden.

4. An institution; a society established for the promotion of
learning, art, science, etc.; a college; as, the Institute
of Technology; also, a building owned or occupied by such
an institute; as, the Cooper Institute.

5. (Scots Law) The person to whom an estate is first given by
destination or limitation. --Tomlins.

Institutes of medicine, theoretical medicine; that
department of medical science which attempts to account
philosophically for the various phenomena of health as
well as of disease; physiology applied to the practice of
medicine. --Dunglison.

Synonyms: bring, constitute, establish, found, plant

See Also: appoint, association, create, fix, initiate, introduce, make, name, nominate, pioneer

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