/ˈɪnstrəmənt ||; ˈɪnstrəmənt/noun[C] 1 a tool that is used for doing a particular job or task 器械；工具；仪器: surgical/optical/precision instruments 外科器材；光学仪器；精密仪器 ☞ Look at the note at tool. 参看tool的注释。
2 something that is used for playing music 乐器: ‘What instrument do you play?’ ‘The violin.’ “你演奏什么乐器？”“小提琴。” ☞picture at music 见music插图
Musical instruments may be stringed (violins, guitars, etc), brass (horns, trumpets, etc), woodwind (flutes, clarinets, etc) or keyboard (piano, organ, synthesizer, etc). Percussion instruments include drums and cymbals. 乐器(musical instrument)分为以下几类：弦乐器(strings)（小提琴、吉他等）、铜管乐器(brass)（号、小号等）、木管乐器(woodwind)（长笛、单簧管等）、键盘乐器(keyboard)（钢琴、风琴、音响合成器等）。鼓、钹都是打击乐器(percussion)。 3 something that is used for measuring speed, distance, temperature, etc in a car, plane or ship 仪表: the instrument panel of a plane 飞机的仪表板
4 something that sb uses in order to achieve sth 手段；工具: The press should be more than an instrument of the government. 报刊不该仅为政府服务。