(1)例子，事例(example)[C] [N(of)]：cite (give/quote) a concrete/a familiar/a ready-at-hand/a typical～引用(举/引用)一个具体/熟悉/现成/典型的例子;furnish abundant～s 提供丰富的例证;an～of carelessness/extreme poverty/injustice/correct use of double prepositions/her being deliberately rude 粗心大意/极度贫困/不公正/正确使用双介词/她故作粗鲁的一个实例;

(2)情况(particular case)[C]：in most/some～s 在多数情况下/在一些场合;in a given～在某一特定场合;only in rare～s 只有在罕见的情况下;in this/the present/your～在这种/目前的/你这种情况下;He related the～of which he was an eyewitness. 他讲述了他亲眼目睹的情况。

at the instance of sb 应某人的请求或建议(fml)：I did it at the～of my colleagues. 我是应同事们之请做这事的。

for instance 例如：There are jobs more dangerous than truck driving;for～，training lions. 有些工作比开卡车更危险，例如驯狮。

in the first instance 起初，首先：In the first～we had better make sure the calculations are correct.首先我们最好确保计算正确。

vt 举例(give as an example)[T+n]：He～d the fly as a dirty insect.他举出苍蝇作为肮脏昆虫的例子。

【辨异】instance与case¹、example和illustation的区别见CASE¹。