- instrument
- noun1 tool for a particular taskADJECTIVE▪ precision, sensitive▪ sophisticated▪ reliable▪ crude▪ blunt▪
The autopsy revealed that the deceased had been hit with a blunt instrument.
▪Even though it was a somewhat blunt instrument (= not very precise), our questionnaire provided us with some interesting ideas.
▪ sharp▪ small▪ delicate▪ appropriate▪ drawing, measuring, writing▪ astronomical, mathematical, medical, navigation, navigational, optical, scientific, surgical▪ cockpit, flight… OF INSTRUMENTS▪ set▪a set of mathematical instruments
VERB + INSTRUMENT▪ use▪All students should learn to use drawing instruments.
▪ check, read▪to read the instruments and make a note of the wind speed and direction
▪ design, develop, devise, invent▪ build, make▪All the instruments are made from glass capillary tubing.
INSTRUMENT + VERB▪ measure sth▪an instrument that measures light intensity
INSTRUMENT + NOUN▪ check▪The pilot did his instrument checks in preparation for take-off.
▪ maker▪ panel▪There was a warning light flashing on the instrument panel.
PHRASES▪ an instrument of torture▪medieval instruments of torture such as the rack and the wheel
2 for playing musicADJECTIVE▪ musical▪ beautiful, fine▪ classical▪ modern▪ traditional▪ period▪baroque music played on period instruments
▪ solo▪ orchestral▪ brass, keyboard, percussion, string, stringed, wind, woodwind▪ acoustic, electric, electronicVERB + INSTRUMENT▪ play▪She plays three musical instruments.
▪ learn, learn to play▪ tune▪ make▪an instrument made by a violin maker in Canada
INSTRUMENT + VERB▪ sound▪The instrument sounds like a cello.
INSTRUMENT + NOUN▪ makerPREPOSITION▪ on an/the instrument▪The piece can be played on a keyboard instrument.
3 sb/sth used to make sth happenADJECTIVE▪ chief, key, main, major, primary, principal▪ good, great▪Internet polls are considered to be better instruments than telephone polls.
▪ ideal▪ important, valuable▪ powerful▪ useful▪ effective▪More effective instruments of oversight are needed.
▪ flexible▪ mere▪Some cynics say that popular music is a mere instrument of capitalist domination.
▪ chosen▪The despot claimed to be the chosen instrument of divine providence.
▪ political▪ financial, legalVERB + INSTRUMENT▪ regard sb/sth as, see sb/sth as, view sb/sth as▪They saw criminal law as an instrument for improving public morals.
▪ use sb/sth as▪ make sb/sthPREPOSITION▪ instrument for▪Criminal law is not the best instrument for dealing with family matters.
▪ instrument of▪the use of language as an instrument of power and social control
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
