specific
    adj 1: (sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized
           by or distinguishing something particular or special or
           unique; "rules with specific application"; "demands
           specific to the job"; "a specific and detailed account of
           the accident" [ant: general, nonspecific]
    2: stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount"
    3: relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic
       species; "specific characters"
    4: being or affecting a disease produced by a particular
       microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used
       in making microscope slides; "quinine is highly specific for
       malaria"; "a specific remedy"; "a specific stain is one
       having a specific affinity for particular structural
       elements" [ant: nonspecific]
    n 1: a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always
         reasons from the particular to the general" [syn:
         particular, specific] [ant: general]
    2: a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific
       disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria"

specific \spe*cif"ic\ (sp[-e]*s[i^]f"[i^]k), a. [F.
   sp['e]cifique, or NL. spesificus; L. species a particular
   sort or kind + facere to make. Cf. specify.]
   1. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or
      constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property
      or properties of a thing which constitute its species, and
      distinguish it from other things; as, the specific form of
      an animal or a plant; the specific qualities of a drug;
      the specific distinction between virtue and vice.
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            Specific difference is that primary attribute which
            distinguishes each species from one another. --I.
                                                  Watts.
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   2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited;
      precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.
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   3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the
      body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar
      adaptation, and not on general principles; as, quinine is
      a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
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            In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the
            perfection of the science.            --Coleridge.
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   Specific character (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or
      characteristics distinguishing one species from every
      other species of the same genus.

   Specific disease (Med.)
      (a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect
          upon the blood and tissues or upon some special
          tissue.
      (b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a
          definite and peculiar poison or organism.

   Specific duty. (Com.) See under Duty.

   Specific gravity. (Physics) See under Gravity.

   Specific heat (Physics), the quantity of heat required to
      raise the temperature of a body one degree, taking as the
      unit of measure the quantity required to raise the same
      weight of water from zero to one degree; thus, the
      specific heat of mercury is 0.033, that of water being
      1.000.

   Specific inductive capacity (Physics), the effect of a
      dielectric body in producing static electric induction as
      compared with that of some other body or bodies referred
      to as a standard.

   Specific legacy (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as
      of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified
      and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill.

   Specific name (Nat. Hist.), the name which, appended to the
      name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of the
      species; -- originally applied by Linnaeus to the
      essential character of the species, or the essential
      difference. The present specific name he at first called
      the trivial name.

   Specific performance (Law), the peformance of a contract or
      agreement as decreed by a court of equity.
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Specific \Spe*cif"ic\, n.
   1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3.
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            His parents were weak enough to believe that the
            royal touch was a specific for this malady.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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   2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which
      it is applied. --Dr. H. More.
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