2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited; precise;
discriminating; as, a specific statement.
3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body;
preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaption, and not on general
principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of
the science.
Coleridge.
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 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 Linnæus 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.
Spe*cif"ic, n. 1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3.
His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a
specific for this malady.
Macaulay.
2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which it is
applied. Dr. H. More.
Spe*cif"ic*al (?), a. Specific. Bacon.
Spe*cif"ic*al*ly (?), adv. In a specific manner.
Spe*cif"ic*al*ness, n. The quality of being specific.
Spe*cif"i*cate (?), v. t. [See Specify.] To show, mark, or designate
the species, or the distinguishing particulars of; to specify. [Obs.]
ir M. Hale.
Spec`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. spécification, LL. specificatio.] 1.
The act of specifying or determining by a mark or limit; notation of
limits.
This specification or limitation of the question hinders the
disputers from wandering away from the precise point of inquiry.