instructions

Noun

instruction (countable and uncountable, plural instructions)

1. (uncountable) The act of instructing, teaching, or providing with information or knowledge.
   • Students receive instruction in the arts and sciences.
2. (countable) An instance of the information or knowledge so furnished.
   • If my instructions may be your guide.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
3. (countable) An order or command.
   • Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC
4. (in plural) A set of directions provided by a manufacturer for the users of a product or service.
5. (in plural) The directions given by a client to their lawyer in relation to a particular legal matter, which govern the purpose and scope of their work.
   • I cannot act until I have taken instructions from my client.
6. A single operation of a processor defined by an instruction set architecture.