specify, v.
(ˈspɛsɪfaɪ)
Forms: 4–6 specyfy (5–6 specyfe), 4–7 specifie, 4– specify (5–6 -fe); 4 specefie, 5–6 -fy, 6 -fye (6 specief-, speesyf-).
[a. OF. specifier (13th c.; mod.F. spécifier, Prov., Sp. especificar, It. specificare), ad. med.L. specificāre to describe, mention, note particularly or specifically.]
† 1. intr. To speak or make relation of some matter fully or in detail. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27959 Forthermar o þis lecheri Agh i þe noght to specifie. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 86 If I therof schal specefie So as the Philosophre tolde, Nou herkne. 1487 Cely Papers (Camden) 161, I wrate ij letters to yow..specyfying of divers matters of Flaunders. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn 1 Whiche boke specyfyeth of the noble actes and fayttes of warre, achyeued by..Blanchardin. |
2. trans. To mention, speak of, or name (something) definitely or explicitly; to set down or state categorically or particularly; to relate in detail. Usually said of persons, but sometimes of an act, document, etc.
| c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3352 Now wille I som syns here specify For whilk þai duelle in purgatory. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 294 Petre specifieþ here mekenes, þat men shulde have bi ensaumple of Crist. a 1400 Harmony Gospels (MS. Bodl. 771) Prol., Here..beginneþ a table þat specifieþ euery chapitre..in þis book. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 10 They began to syng..This same roundelle wiche I schalle now specify. 1491 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 443/1 Any other greter charge, than in the said acte is specified. 1515 Barclay Egloges iii. (1570) B vj b/2 Then haste thou wretched payne Of colde or of heate, of thirst, hunger and rayne. And mo other paynes then I will specify. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 233 A terrible tempest was lyke to enswe, as in the seventh booke is specifyed. 1600 E. Blount Hosp. Incur. Fooles 39 Yet had he no more in his armie, then we haue specified. 1648 Wilkins Math. Magic i. x. 61 It shall not therefore be impertinent..to specifie some of the most remarkable amongst them. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. 319 But then there must many requisites be observed, which the statute specifies, otherwise such leases are not binding. 1827 Jarman Powell's Devises II. 329 If the number specified correspond with the number existing at the date of the will. 1855 Prescott Philip II, ii. vii. I. 215 The fact that the lords had not specified any particular subject of complaint..gave the king an obvious advantage. 1894 Solicitors' Jrnl. XXXIX. 2/2 The..report..must state that fraud has been committed, though the guilty person need not be specified. |
b. With clause as object,
freq. introduced by
that.
† Also with
to be or simple complement.
| (a) c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 341 How crist specified to petre to ȝyue hym þe keyes of heuen. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 2451 For poetis specifye That goddys..Purposede of presumpsion To wrastle with this Champyon. 1430–40 ― Bochas ix. i. (1554) 20 b, To shewe and specifye He was the prophet that called was Messy. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xxi. i. 839 The letters specefyed that Kynge Arthur was slayn in bataylle. 1547 J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes f iij, Our Cronicles specifie y{supt} those .xviii. kinges were in Englande. 1582 T. Watson Centurie of Love lxxii. (Arb.) 108 In this Sonnet The Authour seemeth to specifie, that his Beloued [etc.]. 1834 K. H. Digby Mores Cath. v. vi. 181 Philippe Augustus, in founding a daily mass.., specifies that it shall be said early in the morning. |
| (b) 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 288 Saynt Merwalde specyfyed vncle to saint Werburge. 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 47 The..sede of Abraham, specifyed to be lyke in nomber to the starrs. |
c. In
pa. pple. with limiting adverb preceding (rarely following).
| 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy v. 3599 Þat noble myȝti conquerour, Herry þe Fyfþe, to-forn y-specefied. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1885) 140 A ffewe regions beffore specified. 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 389 In eny of them above specified. 1562 Wynȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 9 As we do to the warldly ignorantis abone specifiit. 1576 Fleming tr. Caius' Dogs (1880) 2 There are two sortes of Dogges by whose meanes, the feates within specifyed are wrought. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxx. 175 The essentiall Rights of Soveraignty (specified before in the eighteenth Chapter). 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 16, I could not onely see the long bristles formerly specified. 1710 in Nairne Peerage Evidence (1874) 153 The severall yearly few dutys above specified payable to us. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory I. 185 Take thereof double the quantity above specified. 1800 Med. Jrnl. III. 428 The patient has never suffered the least return of her fits since the time there specified. |
d. With omission of direct object,
esp. in clauses introduced by
as.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 86 The ferste, if I schal specefie, Was lapis vegetabilis. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 2578 Liche as to ȝow I thenke specifie [v.r. to specifie]. 1433 ― St. Edmund i. 96 Be sentence of prudent Carnotense In Enteticon where he doth specifie. 1532 More Confut. Barnes viii. Wks. 812/1 The very true church of Christ..is.. this one comon well knowen catholyke churche.., as I before haue specifyed. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. ii. 131 The rich Iewes man that would, sir, as my Father shall specifie. 1709 Hearne in R. Glouc. Chron. II. 597 Accordingly several Editions follow'd with Improvements, as you have particularly specify'd in your Paper. |
† 3. a. To make special mention of (a person); to celebrate.
Obs.—1| c 1450 Holland Howlat 733 Haile speciose, most specifyit with the spiritualis! Haile ordanit or Adam, and ay til indur! |
† b. To exhibit or show (a quality, etc.) to advantage or in a special manner.
Obs.—1| a 1575 Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) 254 This certis was a singuler and notable fighte, wheerin the Englishe people didd well specifie their manwhode and valiance. |
† 4. To call by a specific name.
Obs.—1| 1652 Selden Domin. Sea 21 Some of the aforesaid Autors speak with general words, saying the Sea of the Venitians; yet others do specifie it, using the name of the Gulf. |
5. To invest with a specific character.
| 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 54 An intention to take satisfactory vengeance on the reprobate, specifieth his rod, and maketh it punishment of black wrath. 1676 Gale Crt. Gentiles ii. iv. 421 An action is specified from its particular cause, not from the first universal cause. 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 59 Only that form which specifies the matter is more powerful than other forms. 1876 F. H. Bradley Ethical Stud. 71 Be specified in yourself, but not specified by anything foreign to yourself. |
† 6. intr. To develop into different species; to vary in kind or character.
Obs.| 1664 Evelyn Sylva (1679) 3 Some there are, ‘Spring of themselves unforc't by human care,’ Specifying according to the various disposition of the Air and Soil. |
Hence
ˈspecifying vbl. n. and ppl. a.| 1673–4 [see special a. 6 b]. 1681 Baxter Acc. Sherlocke v. 204 Its species is the specifying Form. 1701 Norris Ideal World i. iii. 164 How then will you distinguish,..since 'tis himself that is still the specifying object in both? ? 1819 Chalmers Congregat. Serm. Wks. 1836 VIII. 368 That..which impresses on the mercy of the Gospel its essential and specifying characteristic. |