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.
In"sti*tute (&ibreve;n"st&ibreve;*tūt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instituted (- tū`t&ebreve;d);
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 (&ibreve;n"st&ibreve;*tūt), 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).
Hear it pronounced