specify
verbUK /ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/ · US /ˈspɛs.əˌfaɪ/
Etymology From Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”).
1
To state explicitly, or in detail, or as a condition.
- I was nevere somouned, ne never hadde tydynges of this matier but by seyd lettres and other fleying tales that I heve herd sithen, ne nevere hadde to do more with the seyd John Wortes than is specified in the seyd instruccion.1425 November 5, William Paston, edited by James Gairdner, Paston Letters, new edition, volume I, London: Edward Arber, published 1872, page 20:
- Thanne after came A riall ordenaunce, / Too myghty princes with a grete pusaunce, / ffro Masedeyn and owt of Arkadye, / Ther cowde no man the nowmber specifie.c. 1440, William Aldis Wright, editor, Generydes (in Middle English), London: N. Trübner & Co., published 1878, lines 1950–3, page 63:
1 more example
- But there is no need of specifying particulars in this class of uses. The catalogue is endless, and the examples so obvious, that I shall leave them to the reader’s reflection, with the general remark, that this mercenary benefit is one which has respect to a farther good. A man is fed, not that he may be fed, but that he may work.1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Commodity”, in Nature, Boston: James Monroe and Company, page 18:
2
To include in a specification.
- It seems to me that whoever at the Department of Transport or the train operating companies, or both, is specifying the standard of seats these days has taken leave of their senses and opted for cheapness over comfort.2023 July 26, Pip Dunn, “Merseyrail '777s' are OK for passengers”, in RAIL, number 988, page 60:
3
To bring about a specific result.
4
Obsolete To speak explicitly or in detail (often used with of).
- Forthermar o þis lecheri / Agh i þe noght to specifie[…]c. 1300, Richard Morris, editor, Cursor Mundi [Runner of the World], volume I (in Middle English), London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., published 1893, lines 27958–9, page 1548:
- Synonyms
- explicitize, disambiguate, call, call out, clarify, clear up, get something straight, name, narrow down, nominate, particularize, singularize, specialize, specificate
- Antonyms
- generalize
- Derived terms
- above-specified, misspecify, overspecify, prespecify, respecify, specifiability, subspecify, underspecify, unspecify
- Related terms
- specifiable, specific, specification, come to
- Hyponyms
- cut to the chase, get to the point, stipulate, home in on, zero in on, overspecify, respecify, underspecify