Institute \In"sti*tute\, n. [L. institutum: cf. F. institut. See
Institute, v. t. & a.]
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1. The act of instituting; institution. [Obs.]
"Water
sanctified by Christ's institute." --Milton.
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2. That which is instituted, established, or fixed, as a law,
habit, or custom. --Glover.
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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.
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They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy.
--Burke.
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To make the Stoics' institutes thy own. --Dryden.
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4. An institution; a society established for the promotion of
learning, art, science, etc.; a college; as, the Institute
of Technology; The Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
also, a building owned or occupied by such an institute;
as, the Cooper Institute.
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5. (Scots Law) The person to whom an estate is first given by
destination or limitation. --Tomlins.
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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.
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Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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