specialty
(ˈspɛʃəltɪ)
Forms: 4–6 specyalte (5 -allte), 5–6 specyaltee, 6 -alt(e)y; 4–5 specialte, 5–6 -tee, 4–7 -tie, 6–7 -tye, 6– specialty (6 -allty); 5 spetialte, 7 specielty.
[ad. OF. (e)specialté, f. (e)special special a.: see -ty, and cf. speciality and especialty.]
I. † 1. a. Special affection, attachment, or favour.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5281 + 15 For grete luf & specialte he toke with him sir Androche. 1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 246 Quhat is he That garris ȝow haue sic specialte Till men that traualis? a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 527/75 Drauȝ vppon þe no specialte Of Mon þat is of gret dignite. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 28 Þerfore bettyr I trow þere specialte to wante þen in þer handys to fall. c 1450–60 in Babees Book 330 Thorow affeccion to personys or by specialte. |
† b. for specialty or
in specialty, as a special mark of favour or esteem.
Obs.| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) ii. 13 That was ȝoven to me for gret Specyaltee. c 1460 Emaré 176 For gret loue he ȝaf hyt me, I brynge hyt þe in specyalte. |
† 2. Particularity or detail in description or discussion. Chiefly in
phr. in specialty.
Obs.| c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 513 But, to discende doun in specialte, fful mane articlis of reulis of siche sectes ben openly contrarie to þe apostlis reule. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xx. 130 The othere bokis..schewen the same in specialte. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 9 After that we shall entreate in a more specyalty..y⊇ holy lyfe of religyon. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. 47 Before that we beginne to discourse of euery one of these in specialtie. 1577 J. Knewstub Confut. (1579) 5 He hath dealt wisely, to leaue the other chapters without anie specialtie. |
3. in (also † by, † of, † with) specialty, in a special or particular manner or degree.
| 1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. 32 O þing I pray ȝou of specialte. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 253 Hee sheweth also, by specialtie, wherein it is good to bee exercised. 1659 W. Brough Sacr. Princ. 284 The body for which (with specialty) He gave His blood. 1711 Fingall MSS. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 122 The episcopal Protestants in specialty triumph the most. 1865 H. Bushnell Vicar. Sacr. ii. (1868) 65 Taking them as clients in specialty. |
4. a. Special or particular character or quality; a special feature or characteristic.
| (a) 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 25 Whear the specialty of the sport waz, to see, how sum for hiz slakness had a good bob with the bag. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 78 The specialty of Rule hath beene neglected. a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 32 All shall bee then taught by God, which once was the specialty of Prophets. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iv. iv, A man living in falsehood, and on falsehood; yet not what you can call a false man: there is the specialty! 1861 Dickens Gt. Expect. III. 181 The specialty of the occasion caused our talk to be less dry and hard. |
| (b) 1609 W. Sclater Threefold Preserv. (1610) E iv b, A specialty in it belongs to them, that labour in the word and doctrine. 1628 ― Three Serm. (1629) 36 Yet who..is not readie to conceit some singular specialtie in their degree and measure of sinning. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 849 There were specialties, however, in the case. 1846 Grote Greece II. ii. v. 453 The Laconian dialect contained more specialties of its own than any other variety of the Dorian. 1887 Ruskin Præterita II. 265 The house itself had no specialty, either of comfort or inconvenience, to endear it. |
| (c) 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie i. iv. 186 If he were once but freed from specialty. 1848 Bailey Festus Proem (ed. 3) p. x, Of Him who..one human heart With equal power and specialty inspires. |
b. The quality of being limited or determined by special cases or circumstances.
| 1619 W. Sclater Exp. 1 Thess. (1630) 64 Such the Specialtie of Gods fauour in the distribution. 1623 Bp. Hall Contempl., O.T. xx. 6 Looke how much more specialtie there is in the charge of God, so much more danger is in violation. 1683 J. Corbet Free Actions iii. xxxvii. 55 There is always a specialty of Grace towards the Elect. 1859 S. Wilberforce Sp. Missions (1874) 186 One..who is beckoning me by the specialty of my position to take up..the work which he so nobly began. 1874 Finlayson Divine Gentleness iv. 80 Any special duty..tends, by its very specialty, to brace us for the doing of it. |
c. Special knowledge; tendency to specialism.
| 1868 M. Pattison Academ. Org. v. 158 An electoral body which shall be competent to look out for and select true eminence in specialty. 1868 Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869) 141 The favorite charge against the academies is their ‘one-sidedness’ or specialty. |
II. † 5. a. A thing specially belonging or attached to one person; a special possession, distinction, favour, or charge.
Obs.| 1388 Wyclif Ex. xix. 5 If ȝe schulen here my vois,..ȝe schulen be to me in to a specialte [L. peculium] of alle puplis. 1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. 46, I wil þat no man ȝyue to me so precious cloþis whech þat I, as of a specialte a-boue oþir, schuld wer. c 1491 Chast. Goddes Chyld. x. (Caxton) 26 Some desire..myracles or vysions or reuelacions or some other specyalte. 1628 Bp. Hall Contempl., O.T. xix. 1300 Not without some specialty from God doth Elijah follow the campe. |
† b. of or with a specialty, especially, particularly.
Obs.| 1686 Goad Celest. Bodies i. xviii. 118 The Wind may Change we know, every Hour, but with a Specialty upon the Hour of the Suns leaving us. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xlvii, Lady Robertland, whilk got six sure outgates of grace..in times past; and of a specialty, Mr. John Scrimgeour, minister of Kinghorn. |
6. a. A special or particular matter, point, or thing.
| c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. xxxv. 83 Iustyces of the countrees somme for pees some for other specialte owen to see the gouernaunce of the Countre. 1450 Rolls of Parlt. V. 194 The Joyntour of the office of forein Apposer is comprisid under this generaltee, with the specialtee above rehersed. 1502 in Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) II. 108 No specialties of our communicacions, but only the generalties. 1550 Bale Apol. 32 God commaunded certen specyaltees to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 1588 J. Harvey Disc. Probl. 64 What should I argue the case any farther,..or heape vp more particularities, and specialties, which are so infinitely innumerable? a 1619 M. Fotherby Atheom. ii. xiii. §3 (1622) 352 By all which specialties, this Conclusion is proued. a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 418 The Sect of the Pharisees tendered and recommended..to the people many specialties..to bee observed. 1782 Monro Compar. Anat. (ed. 3) 42 We go on to consider the specialties in the viscera of each kind. 1820–30 Coleridge Lit. Rem. (1838) III. 21 Judgment, solid sense, invention in specialties,..in these we can shew giants. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. ii. viii, Amid these specialties, let us not forget the great generality. |
b. A special or separate proviso or article in an agreement, etc.
| 14.. Master of Game (MS. Douce 335) 72 b, If thei haue ony specialte of a certeynn nombre of swynn to go in the forest, ye shul do vs to wete whether thei be rynged or no. 1636 Earl of Cork Diary in Lismore Papers Ser. i. (1886) IV. 199 There is an Indented receipt..wherin all the particuler specielties ar expressed. |
7. Law. A special contract, obligation, or bond, expressed in an instrument under seal.
| c 1482 in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q. Eliz. (1830) II. Pref. 63 Your besecher can have noo remedy by cours of the comen lawe, for asmoche as he hath noo specialte in writyng. 1483 Cely Papers (Camden) 134 To receyve yn thys martt all syche specyalltes of yowrs payabull yn thys martt. 1528 in Lett. Suppress. Monast. (Camden) 3 Certen munimentes, evidencez, and specialties, tochinge and apperteynynge unto our monastery. 1594 West 2nd Pt. Symbol., Chancerie §120 He neither tooke any specialtie or securitie of him,..nor provided any witnesses to be present. 1621 Galway Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 470 Those persons whoe have neglected to produce theire said evidences, grauntes, and specialties, to bee looked into by the Maior. 1644 Howell Twelve Treat. (1661) 238 There's no legall Instrument, no Bond, Bill, or Specialty can be writ but upon his seal'd paper. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 154 Where the debt arises upon a specialty, that is, upon a deed or instrument under seal. 1781 M. Madan Thelyphthora III. 309 Marriage-settlements, mortgage⁓deeds, and specialties of various kinds. 1856 H. Broom Comm. Common Law ii. i. 274 A specialty..is distinguished from a simple contract in writing by certain solemnities attendant on its execution—viz. by sealing and delivery. 1883 H. G. Wood Limitation of Actions 64 All instruments under seal of record, and liabilities imposed by statute, are specialties within the meaning of the Stat. 21 James I. |
| fig. 1606 Daniel Queen's Arcadia ii. iii, I..had secur'd her of my constant truth, Vnder so many faithfull specialties. 1640 Fuller Abel Rediv., Junius (1867) II. 187 She was bound by the specialty both of nature and grace to provide for her children. 1650 ― Pisgah iii. xi. 436 But can an acquittance of humane tradition, be valid, against a debt of specialty by God's command? |
| attrib. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 176 Legatees are entitled to stand in the place of specialty creditors. 1875 K. E. Digby Real Prop. v. (1876) 249 Debts..secured by deed (called specialty debts). |
8. a. A special line of work or business; a special manufacture or product (characteristic of a certain firm, place, etc.); an article specially dealt in or stocked. (
Cf. speciality 5 c.)
| 1860 Sat. Rev. X. 737/2 Mr. Lovell Reeve..has a specialty—to use a neologism of the day. It is to illustrate books with stereographs. 1873 Leland Egypt. Sketch-Bk. 246 His specialty was inlaid-work of mother-of-pearl and ebony in little diamonds, squares, and triangles. 1883 Eng. Illustr. Mag. Nov. 89/1 The brass work of Birmingham has long been one of its specialties. 1891 Daily News 16 Feb. 2/7 The better classes of fancy tweeds, choice serges, and specialties. |
b. A special subject of study or research.
| 1861 tr. Czermak's Uses Laryngoscope ii. 10 Physicians..who do not intend to make a specialty of laryngoscopy. 1861 Sat. Rev. 7 Dec. 591 Mr. Aris Willmott's specialty (to use a very current piece of slang) is with the sacred poets. 1873 Morley Rousseau I. 150 There is a constant tendency on the part of energetic intellectual workers..to concentrate their energies on a minute specialty. 1883 M. Pattison Mem. (1885) 70 He had selected as his specialty currency and finance. |
9. N. Amer. = speciality 6, 7.
| 1888 G. O. Seilhamer Hist. Amer. Theatre II. 118 Dr. Bayley, a specialty performer..gave entertainments in this country as early as 1752. 1901 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 3 Nov. 12/3 These expensive attractions in conjunction with a big specialty company of no mean pretensions will go to make up an excellent show. 1915 in S. Marcus Minding Store (1974) ii. 23 Twenty-five specialty shops in one building. 1919 [see folly n.1 5 b]. 1936 J. Steinbeck In Dubious Battle i. 3 Department stores and specialty shops. 1961 Bowman & Ball Theatre Lang. 338 Specialty number, a song not intended to be fully integrated with the rest of the entertainment—Musical comedy. 1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. B4 Roblin Steel Corp..., maker of specialty steel forgings and castings.., plans to buy privately owned Washburn Co., maker of specialty household products. 1978 Language LIV. 189 M & M apparently prefer to leave these rich but page-devouring matters to specialty works. |