2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Instrumental  \In`stru*men"tal\,  a.  [Cf.  F.  instrumental.] 
  1.  Acting  as  an  instrument;  serving  as  a  means  contributing 
  to  promote;  conductive;  helpful;  serviceable;  as  he  was 
  instrumental  in  conducting  the  business. 
 
  The  head  is  not  more  native  to  the  heart,  The  hand 
  more  instrumental  to  the  mouth.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  (Mus.)  Pertaining  to  made  by  or  prepared  for  an 
  instrument,  esp.  a  musical  instrument;  as  instrumental 
  music,  distinguished  from  vocal  music.  ``He  defended  the 
  use  of  instrumental  music  in  public  worship.''  --Macaulay. 
 
  Sweet  voices  mix'd  with  instrumental  sounds. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  (Gram.)  Applied  to  a  case  expressing  means  or  agency;  as 
  the  instrumental  case.  This  is  found  in  Sanskrit  as  a 
  separate  case,  but  in  Greek  it  was  merged  into  the  dative, 
  and  in  Latin  into  the  ablative.  In  Old  English  it  was  a 
  separate  case,  but  has  disappeared,  leaving  only  a  few 
  anomalous  forms. 
 
  {Instrumental  errors},  those  errors  in  instrumental 
  measurements,  etc.,  which  arise,  exclusively  from  want  of 
  mathematical  accuracy  in  an  instrument. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  instrumental 
  adj  1:  relating  to  or  designed  for  or  performed  on  musical 
  instruments;  "instrumental  compositions";  "an 
  instrumental  ensemble"  [ant:  {vocal}] 
  2:  serving  or  acting  as  a  means  or  aid;  "instrumental  in 
  solving  the  crime"  [syn:  {implemental}] 
  n  :  the  case  indicating  the  instrument  used  in  performing  the 
  action  of  the  verb  [syn:  {instrumental  case}] 

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