instrumental
instrumental
Definition
in·stru·men·tal (in′strə ment′'l)
adjective
- serving as a means; helpful (in bringing something about)
- of or performed with an instrument or tool
- of, performed on, or written for a musical instrument or instruments
- of or in keeping with instrumentalism
- Gram. designating, of, or in the case of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives expressing means or agency
Etymology: ME < MFr < ML instrumentalis
noun
- a composition for a musical instrument or instruments
- Gram.
- the instrumental case: this case is expressed by inflection in Old English, Sanskrit, Russian, etc., and in English with the prepositions by or with (Ex.: OE ðȳ spere, “by the spear, with the spear”)
- a word or phrase in this case
in′·stru·men′·tally adverb
instrumental
Synonyms
instrumental
modif.
instrumental
Usage Examples
Noun used with modifier
- guitar: Dan is not a particularly brilliant singer and a whole evening of guitar instrumentals is not my ideal concert.
- jazz: Two jazz instrumentals, the second of which you will know for the jazz classic ' Love Me Right ' .
Used with adjective complement
- prove: Quaker culture proved instrumental in material and commercial advancement.
Modifies a noun
- rationality: Very often philosophers have questioned that instrumental rationality could account for the rational structure underlying our natural languages.
- tuition: Schools may charge for instrumental tuition given to groups of no more than four pupils.
- ensemble: The program includes a choir, keyboard and percussion work, as well as an instrumental ensemble.
- interlude: There are long vocal passages, split by instrumental interludes that make for some really nicely balanced songs - it's all here!
- accompaniment: Poems were generally sung or chanted, with instrumental accompaniment.
- virtuosity: Smart lyrics, artfully composed tuneful songs, instrumental virtuosity.
Modifying Another Word
- purely: The music that was written for them is among the first purely instrumental music ever to be written.
- largely: The consultation document makes the case for a largely instrumental motivation in the case of most students.
- mainly: Reason is mainly instrumental; it needs to be guided.
- exclusively: From the word go, this CD was a ) known to be exclusively instrumental, and b ) predominantly guitar based.
- merely: The arguments are fundamentally moral, rather than merely instrumental.
Preposition: in
- founding: Who would have guessed that Homerton College was instrumental in the founding of one of England's most famous football clubs?
- establishment: They both went on to be instrumental in the establishment of the Wildlife Trust some seven years later.
- creation: Grierson was a key figure in the development of the genre in Britain, and instrumental in the creation of the NFB itself.
- formation: MAG were also instrumental in the formation of FEMA.
- success: He had a very modern outlook and was instrumental in the success of the Great Exhibition of 1851.
- development: Coach Mace has been instrumental in the development of women's boxing at Oxford.
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