n. [ L. constructio: cf. F. construction. ] 1. The process or art of constructing; the act of building; erection; the act of devising and forming; fabrication; composition. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The form or manner of building or putting together the parts of anything; structure; arrangement. [ 1913 Webster ]

An astrolabe of peculiar construction. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) The arrangement and connection of words in a sentence; syntactical arrangement. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some particles . . . in certain constructions have the sense of a whole sentence contained in them. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Strictly, the term [ construction ] signifies determining the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text. Parsons. [ 1913 Webster ]

Construction of an equation (Math.), the drawing of such lines and figures as will represent geometrically the quantities in the equation, and their relations to each other. --
Construction train (Railroad), a train for transporting men and materials for construction or repairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or deduced from, construction or interpretation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who puts a certain construction upon some writing or instrument, as the Constitutions of the United States; as, a strict constructionist; a broad constructionist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A philosophical theory of criticism (usually of literature or film) that seeks to expose deep-seated contradictions in a work by delving below its surface meaning. This method questions the ability of language to represent a fixed reality, and proposes that a text has no stable meaning because words only refer to other words, that metaphysical or ethnocentric assumptions about the meaning of words must be questioned, and words may be redefined in new contexts and new, equally valid and even contradictory meanings may be found. Such new interpretations may be based on the philosophical, political, or social implications of the words of a text, rather than solely on attempts to determine the author's intentions. RHUD MW10
Syn. -- deconstructionism. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. the process of criticising or interpreting a text by the method of deconstruction{ 1 }. [ PJC ]

n. Same as decontruction{ 1 }.
Syn. -- deconstruction. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. Of or pertaining to deconstruction or deconstructionism; as, deconstructionist criticism. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. destructio: cf. F. destruction. See Destroy. ] 1. The act of destroying; a tearing down; a bringing to naught; subversion; demolition; ruin; slaying; devastation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction. Esth. ix. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Destruction of venerable establishment. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being destroyed, demolished, ruined, slain, or devastated. [ 1913 Webster ]

This town came to destruction. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou castedst them down into destruction. Ps. lxxiii. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A destroying agency; a cause of ruin or of devastation; a destroyer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The destruction that wasteth at noonday. Ps. xci. 6.

Syn. -- Demolition; subversion; overthrow; desolation; extirpation; extinction; devastation; downfall; extermination; havoc; ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who delights in destroying that which is valuable; one whose principles and influence tend to destroy existing institutions; a destructive. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Theol.) One who believes in the final destruction or complete annihilation of the wicked; -- called also annihilationist. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. exstructio. ] A building up; construction. [ Obs. ] Cockeram. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. instructio: cf. F. instruction. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of instructing, teaching, or furnishing with knowledge; information. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which instructs, or with which one is instructed; the intelligence or information imparted; as: (a) Precept; information; teachings. (b) Direction; order; command. “If my instructions may be your guide.” Shak.

3. (Computers) a segment of coded data that is interpreted by a computer as a command to perform an operation or series of operations. The term instruction is applied to both the electronic form of the data as represented in and executed by the computer, and to any line of written computer code which is interpreted as one instruction by a compiler. A computer program is comprised of one or more instructions. Instructions as contained in a program are formulated in a programming language, which may be an assembly language, in which one instruction corresponds to one command executed by the coputer, or in a higher-level programming language, in which one instruction may represent one of many instructions in assembly language. Higher-level programming languages include, for example, FORTRAN, ALGOL, ADA, C, "C++", COBOL, and JAVA; each of these languages have their own distinctive set of allowable instructions.
Syn. -- command, statement, line of code, program line. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Education; teaching; indoctrination; information; advice; counsel. See Education. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or promoting, instruction; educational. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Erroneous construction; wrong interpretation. Bp. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Wrong or improper instruction. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. obstructio. ] 1. The act of obstructing, or state of being obstructed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which obstructs or impedes; an obstacle; an impediment; a hindrance. [ 1913 Webster ]

A popular assembly free from obstruction. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The condition of having the natural powers obstructed in their usual course; the arrest of the vital functions; death. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To die, and go we know not where,
To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Obstacle; bar; barrier; impediment; clog; check; hindrance. -- Obstruction, Obstacle. The difference between these words is that indicated by their etymology; an obstacle is something standing in the way; an obstruction is something put in the way. Obstacle implies more fixedness and is the stronger word. We remove obstructions; we surmount obstacles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Disparity in age seems a greater obstacle to an intimate friendship than inequality of fortune. Collier. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king expected to meet with all the obstructions and difficulties his enraged enemies could lay in his way. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or the policy of obstructing progress. Lond. Lit. World. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who deliberately hinders progress; one who obstructs business, as in a legislative body. -- a. Of or pertaining to obstructionists; causing obstruction; as, obstructionist tactics. [ Recent ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of constructing again; the state of being reconstructed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (U.S. Politics) The act or process of reorganizing the governments of the States which had passed ordinances of secession, and of reestablishing their constitutional relations to the national government, after the close of the Civil War. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An uproar; a quarrel; a noisy outbreak. [ Prov. Eng. & Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The destruction of one's self; self-murder; suicide. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. substructio, fr. substruere, substructum, to build beneath; sub under + struere to build. ] (Arch.) Underbuilding; the foundation, or any preliminary structure intended to raise the lower floor or basement of a building above the natural level of the ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is a magnificent strong building, with a substruction very remarkable. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of superstructing, or building upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is superstructed, or built upon some foundation; an edifice; a superstructure. [ 1913 Webster ]

My own profession hath taught me not to erect new superstructions upon an old ruin. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]