| 释义 |
▪ I. special, a., adv., and n.|ˈspɛʃəl|
Forms: 3–6 specyal (4 -el), 4–5 -alle, 4–6 -all; 3–6 speciale, 4 -ele, 5 speceale; 3– special (4 -el), 4–6 -alle, 4–7 -all, 6 spetiall, 7 speaciall.
[ad. OF. especial (see especial a.) or L. speciālis individual, particular, f. speciēs species. Cf. It. speciale, speziale; MDu. speciael (Du. speciaal), G. spec-, spezial, -iell.]
A. adj.
1. Of such a kind as to exceed or excel in some way that which is usual or common; exceptional in character, quality, or degree:
a. Of actions, qualities, etc.
a1225Ancr. R. 56 Nullich þet no mon iseo ou bute he habbe leaue speciale of ower meistre. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8730 Special loue þer adde ibe er..Bituene him & þe kinges doȝter Mold of scotlonde. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 2781 For þe saul for ilka penaunce here, Sal haf specyel ioy in heven swa clere. c1384Chaucer H. Fame 68, I wol make Inuocacion With special deuocion. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xi. 49 Þerfore scho had a speciale gift of Godd. c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 44 Do almesse dedes where nede is specialle. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. xi. 214 Forto make..persoones come into remembraunce of a mater, ymagis & picturis seruen in a specialer maner than bokis doon. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 This treatyse promyseth..thre great prerogatiues or special benefytes. 1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 1 Harti thanks for the..special gud wil which you have alwais..shewid me. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. iii. iv. 69 Let some of my people haue a speciall care of him. 1624Ussher in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 131 The first bookes that I shall have speciall neede of. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 1033 Mortals..whom God and good Angels guard by special grace. 1717in Nairne Peerage Evidence (1874) 145 With the special advice and consent of his said lady. 1781Cowper Expost. 631 The moles and bats in full assembly find, On special search, the keen-ey'd eagle blind. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxiv, As you say you have special reason to apprehend violence from them. 1857Miller Elem. Chem., Org. ii. §4. 97 The foregoing facts..have a special interest. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) I. App. 645 Men of no special celebrity.
b. Of material things, events, etc.
13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 235 Ho profered me speche, þat special spyce. 1340–70Alisaunder 183 Ðer sprong neuer spicerie so speciall in erþe. 1535Coverdale Jer. xxii. 7, I will prepare a destroyer..to hew downe thy special Cedre trees. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. v. 35 Thinges most speciall and woorthie of memorie. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 335 A speciall fountaine, into which God infused a wonderfull gift and vertue. 1685R. Burton Eng. Emp. Amer. xxii. 208 They have Horses so plentifull that a special one may be bought for six or seven pound. 1831Scott Cast. Dang. i, A few special spots excepted, the soil..was more and more mixed with the pastoral and woodland country. 1833H. Martineau Cinnamon & Pearls v. 92 A special instrument of forcing the means of production into artificial channels.
c. Of persons.
1461Paston Lett. II. 51, I shuld have had as speciall and as gode a maister of you, as any pour man. 1503Hawes Examp. Virt. xiv. 292 Our Sauyour Ihesu deere and specyall. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. V, 13 b, One of the speciallest contriuers of all thys horrible treason. 1639Fuller Holy War ii. xl. 97 These proved excellent souldiers and speciall horsemen, and are called Mammalukes. 1747Hoadly Suspicious Husband i. iii, A special Acquaintance I have made to-day! 1854A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. s.v., She's a special favourite. 1904A. Griffiths 50 Years Public Service xii. 169 A strong brigade of single workers, ‘special’ convicts, ‘blue dress men’ of exemplary conduct.
†d. spec. Notable, important, distinguished. Obs.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 377 Secrete sciences, which hee did impart but to a verie fewe, the same being special persons. 1591Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. IV. 623 The speciall and cheif personis of the said parochin. 1602W. Fulbecke Pandects 32 So did the Thebane state a long time florish..by the wisedome of Pelopidas, Epamondas, and other speciall men. 1631Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 516 These I suppose to be the burials of some special persons.
e. colloq. Particularly interested or informed.
1830Galt Lawrie T. ii. v. (1849) 56, I ain't special 'bout pedigrees.
2. a. Of friends: Admitted to particular intimacy; held in particular esteem.
a1300Cursor M. 13365 Þe bridgom did alle þider call His specialiest freindes all. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 9 Þan special frendes þat knewe myn entent..prayed me besiliche, þat [etc.]. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 151 Yestyrday he hadd frendys Speciall, but to-day he haue ham all y-lyke. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xiv. 344 Come nere, my specyall frende. 1535Coverdale Acts x. 24 Cornelius..had called together his kynszfolkes and speciall frendes. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 191 This book, as Mr. Ley's special friend hath told me, was written by the said Ley. 1863Boyd Graver Th. Country Parson 240 A Christian man ought never to choose for his special friend a person who, he knows, has no religion.
†b. Particularly intimate; closely attached by acquaintance or friendship. Const. to, with. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 17626 Þai send forth seuen men o wale, War mast to ioseph speciale. c1325Metr. Hom. 30 An cloyster monk loued him ful wel, And was til him ful speciel. 1375Barbour Bruce v. 501 Thai vald nocht persauit be, That thai war speciall to the king. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2610 Elfled, þat honorabil abbas, To whaim cuthbert sa special was. Ibid. 7885 He was speciall to þe kyng. c1500Lancelot 411 To them that war to hyme most speciall. Ibid. 906 For o knycht he send, That was most speciall with the lady kend.
3. a. Marked off from others of the kind by some distinguishing qualities or features; having a distinct or individual character; also, in weakened sense, particular, certain.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8319 Ȝyt ys þyr a specyal spece Þat doþ leccherye klymbe by a grece. c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋488 Alle other synnes ben somtyme oonly agains oon special vertu; but certes envye is agayns alle vertues. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 27 Eueriche prouince and londe is descryued for to me come to Britayne þe laste of alle, as most special. 1535Coverdale Zech. xiv. 8 This shalbe that specyall daye, which is knowne vnto the Lorde. 1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. 32 Seing it is the purpose of y⊇ Prophet to adorn Christ with such special notes as may builde our Faith vpon him. 1620T. Granger Div. Logike 43 Aristotle saith, a man is the most speciall. 1628T. Spencer Logick 131 That is most speciall, vnto which there can be no other Species inferior. 1725Watts Logic i. iii. §3 A special Idea is call'd by the Schools, a Species. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 474 As well in entire systems as in their sundry parts, yea, members, and more⁓over, the speciallest species of them. 1841Penny Cycl. XXI. 178/2 Of Special or Local Secretions. Ibid., Secreted in a particular part of plants for a special purpose. 1854Geo. Eliot tr. Feuerbach's Essence Christianity iii. 44 God as God..has no more significance for religion than a fundamental general principle has for a special science. 1859Bartlett Dict. Amer. (ed. 2) 432 Special deposit, a deposit made in a bank subject to the control of the depositor, and which is not made a part of the funds of the bank to be used by it in its business. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 48 The Germans..maintained in it an altar, and had their own masses said in it on special days. 1866Weekly New Mexican (Santa Fe) 22 Dec. 2/2 One of the senators from San Miguel county having resigned, a special election was held. 1884J. Sully Outlines Psychol. xii. 553 The order of development of the special sensibilities..concerned. 1886I. M. Rittenhouse Jrnl. 3 Feb. in Maud (1939) xi. 368 Eliza brought me a special delivery letter from my good boy. 1904Harper's Mag. Feb. 462/2 And what a lucky chance that brought me a ‘special delivery’. 1907R. Hermon-Hodge Let. 20 Jan. in R. S. Churchill Winston S. Churchill (1969) II. Compan. i. 641, I am sure you will agree that while the class of men which provides the Yeomanry with officers must often present ‘special cases’ such as yours, it would never do to make them precedents. 1908Special school [see defective n. 2 c]. 1911W. James Some Probl. Philos. i. 4 Limited by the omission of the special sciences, the name of philosophy has come more and more to denote ideas of universal scope exclusively. 1921Handicapped Children (Connecticut Board of Educ.) 6 Let us consider those children who are in need of special education because of some degree of mental abnormality. 1929E. C. Thomas Lay Folks' Hist. Liturgy i. xiv. 62 In addition to the missions mentioned above, there seems to have been a special relationship between Britain and Galicia. 1944Act 7 & 8 Geo. VI c. 31 §228 In fulfilling their duties under this section, a local education authority shall, in particular, have regard..to the need for securing that provision is made for pupils who suffer from any disability of mind or body by providing, either in special schools or otherwise, special educational treatment. 1944H. A. Hodges Wilhelm Dilthey 110 At the close of the Middle Age the emancipation of the special sciences began. 1945Hansard Commons 7 Nov. 1299 We should not abandon our special relationship with the United States and Canada about the atomic bomb. 1957Ld. Hailey African Survey 1956 xvii. 1160 The academic standards to be adopted in the new University College in the first instance were to be those of the University of London, and an application to enter into ‘special relationship’ with the University of London was accepted. 1958Times 4 July 15/1 The new scheme of ‘special deposits’ to be introduced by the Bank of England will in effect be kept in reserve in case of need. 1961Yale Review LI. 21 If Britain enters ‘Europe’, the possibly illusory ‘special relationship’ with the United States will lose much of its plausibility. 1963Sunday Express 7 July 1 There is a faction in Washington which does not share the official United States policy of friendship for Britain, and which dislikes the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries. 1968Special class [see preemie]. 1974State (Columbia, S. Carolina) 15 Feb. 22-A/6 The beleaguered Republican candidate in the February 5 special election to replace the late Rep. John Saylor of Pennsylvania. 1974Special vote [see overall, over-all adv. 1 c]. 1976Pacifist Jan. 4/1 The Secretary of State for Defence insists that defence is a special case—housing, social services, education are not? 1977Special delivery [see recorded ppl. a. 1 b]. 1977Times Educ. Suppl. 21 Oct. 47/3 A teacher with experience in Special Education to teach basic subjects to groups of slow-learning children. 1978London Clearing Banks (Committee London Clearing Bankers) 68 From 1958 onwards the Bank was able to supplement its open-market operations with calls for special deposits from the clearing banks; when a call was made, each bank had to lodge at the Bank of England a cash deposit of a specified percentage of its total deposits. 1979R. Jaffe Class Reunion (1980) iii. iv. 333 The baby had been sent to a special school because she had been born with a kind of sickness. 1980Encounter May 41/2 The encounters took on a peculiarly symbolic significance at a time when various signs point to the possible demise of Israel's ‘special relationship’ with West Germany and the United States.
b. In predicative use: Limited or restricted.
1848J. T. White Xenophon's Anab. iii. iv. §15 Notes (1872) 174 Zeune refers the term to their imitating the Scythians in the mode of discharging the arrow; but this is too special.
c. Additional to the usual or ordinary.
1840Rep. Sel. Comm. Railw. Quest. 255, I believe this special train was the next. 1847in Thames Valley Times (1887) 22 June 5/3 Special Trains may be engaged for large Parties. 1872B. Jerrold London xx. 177 The news-boy would deliver the special edition. 1882J. Hatton Journalistic Lond. 148 The whole Morning Standard is printed in one hour and fifty minutes,..and the special edition in forty-five minutes. 1939L. MacNeice Autumn Jrnl. v. 23 They are selling and buying the late Special editions snatched and read abruptly. 1957V. Brittain Testament of Experience iv. 162 Newsvendors calling special editions ran up and down.
d. Special collocations: Special Air Service, a special section of the armed forces trained in commando techniques of warfare; cf. S.A.S. s.v. S 4 a; special area, a depressed area of high unemployment designated in 1934 (see quot.) for development and improvement; cf. development area s.v. development 11; Special Branch, a section of the C.I.D. which deals with police matters relating to political security; Special Drawing Right, an additional drawing right allocated to member countries of the International Monetary Fund, allowing them extra powers to purchase foreign currency from the Fund, and so increase their foreign exchange reserves; usu. pl.; cf. SDR s.v. S 4 a; special effect (Cinematogr.), a scenic illusion created by props and camera-work (see quot. 1951); usu. pl.; special interest (U.S.), a group or corporation which seeks special advantages for itself, usu. by political means; special paper, an extra advanced examination of the General Certificate of Education, formerly known as a scholarship paper; Special Reserve, special units formed in peacetime to furnish a reserve for the regular army in time of war; special stage (see quot. 1967).
1942We speak from the Air (Ministry of Information) xvii. 53 There is no better example of co-operation between the services than in the organisation and training of the *Special Air Service troops that has been quietly taking place for some time. 1977Proc. R. Soc. Med. LXX. 504/1 Major I. T. Houghton discussed first aid in the Special Air Service Regiment. This was formed in 1941 by David Stirling for operations behind the enemy lines in North Africa. 1980Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts July 491/1 The Special Air Service..is trained for special tasks and it therefore represents the ready-made anti-hijacking force.
1934Act 25 Geo. V c. 1 §8 (1) This Act may be cited as the *Special Areas (Development and Improvement) Act, 1934. 1945Archit. Rev. XCVII. 109/1 The former Special Areas, now renamed (with adjustments) the Development Areas, are not necessarily economic and social entities. 1979G. Pottinger Secretaries of State for Scotland 1926–76 xiv. 148 The modest incentives dating originally from the Special Areas Acts of 1934 and 1937, and modified by post-war legislation, to persuade firms to move to depressed districts were no longer considered adequate.
1894J. G. Littlechild Reminiscences i. 8 The later years of my service at Scotland Yard were spent in connection with the ‘*special’ branch of the Criminal Investigation Department. 1936‘N. Blake’ Thin Shell of Death ix. 159 Scotland Yard had got into touch with the Special Branch in Dublin. 1962Listener 15 Mar. 459/2 Warrants of this kind would be normally executed by special branch officers acting under the directions of the Director of Public Prosecutions. 1979J. Wainwright Duty Elsewhere vii. 30 The Special Branch... Originally, it was the Special Irish Branch. Terror met by terror. 1982Listener 16 Dec. 4/1 It is held by those in Special Branch that contact with Security Service is already so close that SB ought to take over primary responsibility for counter-espionage.
1967Bankers' Mag. CCIV. 216 The scheme for creating new ‘reserve units’..had already been abandoned for a plan for establishing new special automatic drawing rights with the imf... The *special drawing rights will be shown as part of the reserves in Britain and the us... The special drawing rights are to be administered by the imf, but kept separate from its other assets. 1971H. Wilson Labour Govt. xxxv. 726 The IMF Special Drawing Rights scheme..had come into effect on 28 July [1969]. 1978Internat. Relations Dict. (U.S. Dept. State Library) 23/2 The IMF has created its own international unit of account—the Special Drawing Right (or SDR or ‘paper gold’).
1937*Special effects [see editor n. 5]. 1951Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture & Television Engineers LVII. 53/1 Studio terminology combines under ‘special effects’ a large variety of items, materials, equipment and processes which..aid in realistically imitating natural phenomena..which otherwise could be considered only at prohibitive expense or with impossible hazards. 1978R. Hill Pinch of Snuff vii. 65 The special effects department must be getting better.
1910G. Pinchot Fight for Conservation 134 The people of the United States believe that..the Senate and the House no longer represent the voters by whom they were elected, but the *special interests by whom they are controlled. 1980Outdoor Life (U.S.) (Northeast ed.) Oct. 21/2 It is a measure of the arrogance of the special interests that 53 of the new lease applications are for tracts inside the proposed wilderness area.
1963Times Educ. Suppl. 1 Feb. 197/4 In your issue of November 23 a letter was published concerning the restriction imposed by the S.S.E.C. that no A level candidate may offer more than two of the *special papers which are to replace the scholarship papers. 1976Bridgwater Mercury 21 Dec. 1/5 Karen..passed all of her A level subjects, English, Economics and History at Grade A, as well as gaining a Distinction on the Special Paper in the last subject.
1908Times 11 Apr. 8/2 The second order details the precise conditions of the transfer of all Militia units, except those disbanded, to the *Special Reserve. 1908Regs. for Officers of Special Reserve 1 The Special Reserve of Officers is a branch of the Reserve of Officers, established by Royal Warrant dated the 3rd April, 1908. Ibid., The Special Reserve. Special reservists form part of the first class of the army reserve. 1909Army & Navy Gaz. 19 June 589/2 Mr. Haldane stated that bayonets are now being issued to all infantry units of the Special Reserve which are being armed with the short rifle. 1931[see cadre 2]. 1935Regs. for Officers & Airmen of Special Reserve serving in R.A.F. Squadrons (Amendment 5) 1 Applications for the attendance of Special Reserve personnel to give evidence in private lawsuits will be reported at once through the usual channels.
1967P. Moss Story so Far vi. 65 A lot of international rallies..have special stages, or tests, over the worst bits of road they can find. Not all big rallies have to do this but on those which do it is on these *special stages that the rally is won and lost. 1977Belfast Tel. 27 Jan. 25/4 The other two members of the team have elected him to drive all the competitive sections—or special stages—along the 18,000 mile route.
4. Of persons:
a. Appointed or employed for a particular purpose or occasion. † Also in predicative use (with in).
13..K. Alis. 7609 (Laud MS.), By a speciale messager, I wil hir sende loue drurye. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 1492 Bifore þe sancta sanctorum soþefast dryȝtyn Expouned his speche spiritually to special prophetes. c1400Love Bonavent. Mirr. (1908) 49 Peraunter gabriel that was special messanger of this werk. 1405Rolls of Parlt. III. 605/1 Our generalls and specialls Attornes and Deputes. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 843 Þai were speciale in his seruyse. 1646Gataker Mistake Removed 18 Having from the mouth of God, by a special expresse, received a release. 1801–31[see constable 5 e]. 1843N. Simons Statutes at Large, U.K. XVI. 131 Commissioners for General Purposes to execute all Matters with respect to the Duties under all the Schedules except such as are directed to be executed by Special or other commissioners. 1856Men of the Time 687 He was deputed to be the special correspondent of the ‘Times’ in the Crimea. 1865Ibid. 714/2 He was employed as Special Commissioner during the Irish famine. 1926Daily Chron. 13 May 1/3 Measures must be taken to demobilise the special constabulary..and to ensure the speedy return to normal conditions. 1932Auden Orators i. 36 Jokes about special constables and conscientious objectors. 1956in J. Biggs-Davison Hand is Red (1973) x. 134 Members of the R.U.C. and B Special Constabulary. 1970Britain 1970: an Official Handbk. (Central Office of Information) 105 All police forces have an attachment of special constables, who are volunteers willing to perform police duties without pay in their spare time. In England and Wales the function of special constables is to act as auxiliary to the regular force when required. In Scotland they are employed only in emergencies, although they may be assigned for duty for training purposes. 1970P. Laurie Scotland Yard 294 Special patrol group, a unit of uniform policemen, about 130 strong, attached to no particular area. They are available for intensive patrolling, searches, guards, raids, etc. 1971Halsbury's Statutes England (ed. 3) XXXIV. 1252 Unlike the General Commissioners..the Special Commissioners are civil servants, and their powers and duties are not limited to any particular area... They do, however, act independently of the Crown. 1980P. G. Winslow Counsellor Heart xx. 215 Men were sent to saturate the area. The Special Patrol Group was called in.
b. Devoted to a particular or limited field of study or research.
1899Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 120 Some well-known (and not too special) specialist.
c. special buyer, the bill-broker of the Bank of England in the discount market; special partner (U.S.) = limited partner s.v. limited ppl. a. 2 b.
1941Economist 1 Feb. 149/1 The help given to the market last week by the special buyer has made itself more felt. 1965Seldon & Pennance Dict. Econ. 311 In Britain open market operations in Treasury Bills are conducted through a firm of discount brokers (the ‘Special Buyer’) on instructions from the Bank of England.
1822Laws of State of New York ccxliv. 259 That partnerships, to be formed under this act, shall consist of one or more partners, jointly and severally responsible..who shall be called general partners; and one or more partners, who furnish certain funds or capital to the common stock, whose liability shall extend no further than the fund which he or they have furnished to the partnership stock, and who shall be called special partners. 1839Marryat Diary Amer. 1st Ser. II. 251 In America, if a person wishes to become a special partner (a sleeping partner) in any concern, he may do so to any extent he pleases. 1889Cent. Dict. 4309/1 If the statute governing partnerships is violated the special partner becomes liable as a general partner.
5. a. Having an individual, particular, or limited application, object, or intention; affecting or concerning a single person, thing, circumstance, etc., or a particular class of these.
special intention: see intention 12 b.
13..Coer de L. 6471 The abbot..brought hym lettres speciele, Aselyd with the barouns sele. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 441 Þai say furst, þat speciale prayere..is better þen generale. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 195 Þe white morphu is curid..wiþ þis special medicyn. 1444Rolls of Parlt. V. 111/2 That..a speciall Commission be made to the chief Justice of your Benche. 1526Skelton Magnyf. 2464 From you I receyued a letter, Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clause That I sholde vse Largesse. 1570–6Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 329 Of a speciall intent and purpose to pray to God for raine. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. v. i. 292 There doe I giue to you..a speciall deed of gift. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 918 On which day this..came..without any special appointment, to the presse. 1651Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvi. 145 In which case there is no speciall Law ordained. 1764Burn Poor Laws 194 To..distribute the same, together with other special benefactions, to such as shall have most need. 1790F. Burney Diary Jan. (1842) V. iii. 85 Mr Fairly's marriage..was by special licence, and at the house of Sir R— F—. 1802Paley Nat. Theol. xv. (1819) 242 It is a special purpose, specially consulted throughout. 1825Special licence [see droit1 1 b]. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 51 He was sent to London charged with several special commissions of high importance. 1849Rep. Sel. Comm. Public Libraries 138 in Parl. Papers XVII. 1 The second description of libraries would be those destined to represent special branches of literature; for instance the Commercial Library, or the Library of Fine Arts, at Hamburgh, would be a most perfect instance of those special libraries. 1862Sat. Rev. 8 Feb. 147 Popular theology dispenses with special knowledge as a key to difficulties. 1892Photogr. Ann. II. 285, I could not very well include it under ‘Special Cameras.’ 1908H. Cecil Let. 20 Aug. in R. S. Churchill Winston S. Churchill (1969) II. Compan. ii. 808 A special licence costs a lot of money..so you had better go for an ordinary one or for banns. 1937Discovery June 192/2 At the request of the British Council, the Association of Special Libraries and Information Bureaux had undertaken the compilation of a short list of standard and technical books by British authors. 1954K. Amis Lucky Jim iii. 27 Have you got that syllabus together..the list of stuff for your special subject next year? 1966A. Battersby Math. in Management ix. 232 The appeal to elasticity is evident in any retail outlet with price reductions, ‘special offers’ or trading stamps. 1971P. D. James Shroud for Nightingale vii. 243 He might well have told his special nurse or blurted it out in his delirium. 1973Scotsman 7 Aug. 6/2 The ‘wedding’ in the registrar's office at Dumfries took place after the couple were granted a special licence in the courthouse only 50 yards away. 1976Gloss. Documentation Terms (B.S.I.) 62 Special library, a library maintained by an association, government agency, parliament, research institution, learned society, professional association, museum, business firm, industrial organization, chamber of commerce, etc. or other organized group, the greater part of its collection being in a specific field or subject. 1977Western Morning News 1 Sept. 1/1 Instant coffee is to be on ‘special offer’ in various shops and supermarkets for the next six months.
b. Entering into details or particulars; precise.
1681Lond. Gaz. No. 1648/4 Providing always that the Libel..be special, as to a certain place..; and also be special as to the time. 1876E. Mellor Priesthood viii. 348 This confession must not only be general, but special, involving a minute description of all the circumstances in which the sins were committed.
c. special (theory of) relativity: see relativity 2.
6. Having close, intimate, or exclusive connexion or relationship with one person or thing (or set of these); peculiar:
a. Of persons.
1382Wyclif Deut. vii. 6 That thow be to hym a special puple. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 253 [The] king of Napples mon..mak..oblissing to the pape as specale lord soverane till him. 1508Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 417, I am the kingis blude, his trew speciall clerk. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 171 To Eltam will I, where the young King is, Being ordayn'd his speciall Gouernor. 1611Bible Deut. vii. 6 The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people vnto himselfe. 1737Challoner Cath. Chr. Instr. (1753) 213 In this Nation we keep the Days of St. Thomas of Canterbury, and of St. George, as our special Patrons. 1898Watts-Dunton Aylwin i. ii, I always looked upon him as my special paid henchman.
b. Of things.
1484Caxton Chivalry 89 The comyn wele is gretter and more necessary than propre good and specyall. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke v. 54 b, The propre and moste speciall office of suche an one. 1578Lyte Dodoens ii. xliv. 202 Floures..without any speciall smell. 1599Hakluyt Voy. II. ii. 4 Their language was speciall, and not mixed with Romane speech or Arabian. 1673–4Grew Anat. Pl., Trunks (1682) 132 The specifying of the Sap dependeth chiefly on the special Nature of the Parts. 1850McCosh Div. Govt. iii. i. (1874) 296 Every intuitive principle in our constitution has its special truth to reveal and sanction. 1870J. Yeats Nat. Hist. Comm. 1 Each region has its special treasures. 1884R. Paton Scott. Ch. viii. 81 Columba..had his special cell at Iona, in which he wrote and read.
c. Const. to.
1871Ruskin Arrows of Chace (1880) I. 227 Nearly every great church in France has some merit special to itself. 1894Nature's Method in Evol. Life vii. 77 The new force special to the whale.
7. Law. Used with a large number of legal terms to denote particular or distinctive instances or cases of the thing, action, or person in question, as special bail, special bailiff, special bastard(y, special heir, special magistrate, special occupant, special order, special prosecutor, special resolution, special tail, special term, special verdict.
See also jury 2 d, and special pleader, pleading.
1495[see tail n.2 3 b]. 1544tr. Littleton's Tenures 4 b, Tenaunt in tayle specyal, is where landes and tenementes be gyuen vnto a man and his wyfe and the heyres of theyr .ii. bodyes begoten. 1665Ever Tryals per Pais xiii. 166 A Special Verdict, or Verdict at large, is so called, because it findeth the special matter at large, and leaveth the Judgement of the Law thereupon, to the Court. 1720T. Wood Inst. Laws Eng. II. 1009 The Special Pleas are many, as Per dures, Per Minas. 1768Blackstone Comm. II. 259 There the heir might, and still may, enter and hold possession, and is called in law a special occupant. 1769Ibid. III. 287 In order to arrest the defendant, and make him put in substantial sureties for his appearance, called special bail. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 413 With a subsequent devise to the heirs general, or special, or issue, of A. 1835Tomlins's Law Dict. I. s.v. Bailiff, Formerly bailiffs of hundreds were the officers to execute writs; but now it is done by special bailiffs, put in with them by the sheriff. Ibid. s.v. Bastard, Bastardy, in relation to the several manners of its trial, is distinguished into general and special bastardy. 1845Stephen Comm. Laws Eng. (1874) II. 176 By ‘Special’ resolution—i.e., by one passed by a majority in number and three-fourths in value of the creditors present. 1852Alabama Reports XX. 446 The Court of Commissioners of Roads and Revenue in this State has no power to hold special terms, except in cases expressly authorized by law. 1859Indiana Reports XI. 562 The indictment was signed by James F. Suit, as prosecuting attorney; but it appears that he was a special prosecutor elected by the people. 1889Cent. Dict., Special orders, in law, those orders which are made only in view of the peculiar circumstances of the case, and require notice to the adversary and a hearing by the court. 1919Act 9 & 10 Geo. V c. 100 §26 Anything which under the Electric Lighting Acts may be effected by a provisional order confirmed by Parliament may be effected by a special order made by the Electricity Commissioners and confirmed by the Board of Trade. 1934Northeastern Reporter CXC. 270/2 ‘Special term of court’ is one not fixed by general statute establishing court terms, but ordinarily called pursuant to power granted by statute. 1936Panel Mar. 3/3 Several thousand additional witnesses have been examined in the office of Mr. Dewey, the Special Prosecutor. 1966Tacheron & Udall Job of Congressman vii. 198 Special orders are designed primarily to authorize the House to disregard the regular rules of procedure so that a particular matter can be handled with dispatch. 1973N.Y. Law Jrnl. 25 July 12/8 The sole question raised on this appeal is whether or not Special Term erred when it concluded that a 1960 Pontiac convertible..was covered under an automobile insurance policy issued with respect to a 1960 Buick sedan. 1974Greenville (S. Carolina) News 22 Apr. 1/3 ‘The special prosecutor has already indicted and is preparing to try’ seven former Nixon campaign or administration aides. 1975J. P. Morgan House of Lords & Labour Govt. ii. 64 Orders are known in the Lords as Special Orders. 1979Internat. Jrnl. Sociol. of Law VII. 279 The function of the Special Magistrate was ‘to represent in his own person the whole policy of Britain’.
8. Math. Of a group: that can be represented by matrices of unit determinant.
1903J. E. Campbell Theory Continuous Groups i. 17 This group is called the special linear homogeneous group; it is a sub-group of the general linear homogeneous group. 1955B. Higman Appl. Group-Theoretic & Matrix Methods xii. 181 The rotation group in three dimensions is isomorphic with a factor group of the special unitary group in two dimensions containing half the number of elements. 1955,1967[see SU s.v. S 4 a]. 1968M. S. Livingston Particle Physics xii. 212 Special unitary group theory based on two fundamental states (known by the symbol SU(2)) leads to the prediction of a multiplet structure in the spectrum of substates. 1971D. Gorenstein in Powell & Higman Finite Simple Groups ii. 68 The latter group is the projective special unitary group.
9. Comb. In collocations used attributively, as special agreement, special-creation, special-interest, special-occasion, special-procedure, special-purpose, special-range, special-service, special-temper, or derivatives of these, as special-creationist, special-correspondently adv.
1886Spencer in 19th Cent. May 766 The point of view of the special-creationist. 1887Pall Mall G. 10 Jan. 5/1 When the special-service man desires to inculcate caution on the driver of the next train, he affixes a single detonator to the rail. 1891Kipling Life's Handicap 86 It suited him to talk special-correspondently. 1895W. H. Hudson Intr. Spencer's Philos. 27 The special-creation hypothesis. 1897Outing XXX. 279/1 A special-temper tool steel. 1901Daily Tel. 9 Mar. 9/3 Two British special service officers have left London for the Abyssinian capital. 1944Act 7 & 8 Geo. VI c. 31 §236 If at any time the managers or governors of an aided school or a special agreement school are unable or unwilling to carry out their obligations..it shall be their duty to apply to the Minister for an order revoking the order by virtue of which the school is an aided school or special agreement school. 1945Nelson & Wright Tomorrow's House vii. 80/1 The living-room..is..turning into a special-purpose room like the study. 1952Times 4 Feb. 2/3, {pstlg}250,000 for grants in aid towards a new ‘special agreement’ secondary school, and for works at four aided polytechnics. 1956Abraham & Hawtrey Parliamentary Dict. 188 Special procedure order, a term applied by the standing orders of both Houses to an order, made or confirmed by a minister, in relation to which the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act, 1945, applies. 1957Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Nov. 678/5 Instruction covers everything from the regular features of the dinner table to special-occasion items for the buffet or the hors-d'œuvre tray. 1959W. K. Richmond British Birds of Prey p. xi, How far, if at all, was it safe to rely on a phraseology which enjoyed no common currency, however acceptable it might be to this or that special-interest group? 1961Act 9 & 10 Eliz. II c. 62 2nd Schedule §2 Where a trust fund includes special-range property,.. the special-range property shall be carried to a separate part of the fund. 1964D. Foulkes Introd. Admin. Law i. 6 The first part of the procedure provides for the proper publication of the order (known as a ‘special procedure order’) and the making of objections, and the second part for parliamentary scrutiny. 1982Time 8 Nov. 92/2 The special-interest slangs generated then were interminably publicized.
B. adv. and in phr. in special.
1. In a special manner; especially, particularly. Now only colloq. or dial.
a1300Cursor M. 27972 Speciale þan cals þis sin Wrak o him þat ligges þar-in. 1340Ayenb. 230 Oure lhordes lemman special is yloued þet lokeþ maydenhod. 14..Sir Beues (C) 688 + 3 Sche preyed yow specyalle, To come & speke with hur yn preuyte. 1451J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. 35 He comendid gretly his cunnyng and special his deuocion. 1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 2460 It [i.e. an exemption] to confyrme and roborate specyall With charters and dedes and seales patent. 1545T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 124 Sethe them in white wyne, and therein lap the infante, spetiall yf it be not taken ouer great heate. 1600Pory tr. Leo's Africa vi. 278 Great plenty of dates, which..are speciall good. 1613Ussher Lett. (1686) 17 One thing therein I think special worthy of observation. 1670J. Smith Eng. Improv. Reviv'd 65 The Chesnut is special good Timber for Building. 1765Cowper Let. 5 Nov., They [the Unwins] live in a special good house. 1851Helps Companions of Solit. vii. 143 A case came on rather unexpectedly..and I was sent for ‘special’ as we say. 18562nd Rep. Postmaster General 12 That the Night Mail train should be run special (without passengers). 1859Thackeray Virgin. ix, The Duke of Marlborough was no special good penman.
†2. in special:
a. Specially, especially, particularly. Obs.
c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 901 Se that thow in special Requere not that is ayens her name. 1390Gower Conf. I. 7 The world is changed overal, And therof most in special That love is falle into discord. c1400Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. xxxiii. 81 Ther ben other counceylours of the kynge that haue for to sene in special to gouernaunce of his propre goodes. c1440Gesta Rom. i. xlviii. 211 The Emperour made a generall feste, to the whiche þe Erle was i-bede in speciall. 1500in Exch. Rolls Scotl. XII. 266 note, To all and sindry oure liegis..and in speciale to our custumaris of oure burgh of Abirdene. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utopia i. (1895) 33 Chyefelye suche thynges as shalbe profytable to be knowne; as in specyall be thoese decrees and ordinaunces. 1603Bodley in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) 44 We have a speech given out, among Papists in special, of a match..between our Prince and the King of Spain's..daughter. 1665Bunyan Holy Citie (1669) 62 Which Salvation I take in special to signifie our fortification and safety from the wrath of God. 1680Allen Peace & Unity 134 He singles out this in special as the matter of his request.
†b. In detail; so as to enter into particulars. Obs.
c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋268 Ȝe han wel & couenably taught me as in general how I shal gouerne me... But now wolde I fayn þat ȝe wolde condescende in special. 140126 Pol. Poems iii. 49, I speke not in specyale Of oo kyngdom the lawe to telle; I speke hool in generale. c1449Pecock Repr. v. xv. 562 That y be not ouer long..y speke not of thilk mater in special here. 1573Satir. Poems Reform. xl. 106 That this may be maid mair manifest, I will discurs sum thing in speciall Tuiching this Lamp.
†c. In an individual, separate, or distinctive manner. Obs.
1390Gower Conf. I. 18, I wol noght seie in general, For ther ben somme in special In whom that alle vertu duelleth. Ibid. 92 Bot such a thing in special, Which to hem alle in general Is most plesant. 1469Waterf. Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 307 If ony suete or chalange be..so done in commene or in speciall. 1508Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 495 To euery man in speciall speke I sum wordis. c1550‘Faine wald I, with all diligence’ in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 310 And thocht I say in generale, Sum sall it tak in speciale.
C. n.
†1.
a. A particularly intimate or favourite friend, associate, or follower. Obs.
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 23 Þat specials to hym were. 13..Coer de L. 2352 Let him yelde my tresor every dele If he will be my speciele. a1340Hampole Psalter lxvii. 27 [Those] till whaim aungels ere gret specials. c1400Destr. Troy 8830 Thus he spake for his spede his specials vnto. a1450tr. De Imitatione ii. viii. 49 Lete ihesu be sool þy derlyng and þy special. 1581Satir. Poems Reform. xliii. 129 Ane of the speciallis [that] did mentene ȝour croun, Ȝour ferme protectour in ȝour tender ȝeiris. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 84 To require libertie to cum to Scotland with..his garde of a thousand specialis. a1660Hammond Serm. Prov. i. 22 (1664) 42 The Saviour, that hath promises of long life annexed to some specials of his service.
†b. A (female) sweetheart or paramour; a mistress or concubine. Obs.
c1375in Rel. Ant. I. 40 Byhold, my derlyng, speketh to me, arys, come nerre, my special, come. 1388Pol. Poems (Rolls) I. 276 Here specialis yf y kys [v.r. Ther special whan thei kis]. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 449 Hit happede a monke of Seynte Audoen in Roone to goe in a nyȝhte towarde the hows of his specialle. 1473Visitation Paper in Archaeologia XLVIII. 250 Þe vecar of þe sayde towne has haldyn to hys speciall this vj ȝere and more, and noe correction done. 1554Interlude of Youth C j b, A backe galantes, and loke vnto me, And take me for your speciall.
†c. A male sweetheart or lover. Obs.
c1400Laud Troy Bk. 13552 To vysite him ful offte sche went; For sche wiste he toke the falle Off Troyle that was hir specialle. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 333 After that sche electe into pope..was gete with childe by her specialle. c1489Caxton Blanchardyn xx. 67 [She] altogydre was of her determyned, to make of Blanchardyn her louer and her specyall. a1500Gest Robin Hood viii. xxxv, For the loue of a knyght, Syr Roger of Donkesly, That was her owne speciall.
†2. A particular person; an individual. Obs.
c1400Destr. Troy 4292 Fals goddes..Þat entrid into ymagis,..Spekand to specyals, þat spede for to aske. Ibid. 12119 All þai sparit þat speciall to spill at þe tyme.
†3.
a. A particular point, part, detail, concept, or statement. Obs.
c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋389 Lat us now descende to the special [v.r. purpos special]. c1449Pecock Repr. v. v. 512 This comaundement..is not but a special and a parti of this general and hool comaundement. 1581Satir. Poems Reform. xliii. 25 To pen the speciallis it passis mony a hunder. 1594T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. II. 162 Reason..descendeth from generalles to specialles, & from them to particulars. 1611W. Sclater Key (1629) 177 Which generall is farther amplified by the specials. 1628T. Spencer Logick 204 Of the kindes of Distribution, and first of the Generall into the Specialls.
†b. A particular thing or article. Obs.
1599B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. ii. i[i], To the perfection of the compliment..are required these three specials. 1615in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 168 Those specials which they appropriate to themselves are the sole and main commodities of the Kingdoms now in question. 1621Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 467 You must shew some reason why Decimæ were restrayned vnto some specialls, seeing Primitiæ extended themselues vnto all.
†4. Species, kind. Obs.
1551T. Wilson Logike (1580) 54 Beauis with Alexander, are comprehended under man as their kinde and speciall. 1628T. Spencer Logick 131 The lowest species, is that which cannot be divided into other specialls. 1654Z. Coke Logick 32 Quality hath four kinds or specials.
5. ellipt.
a. A special constable, correspondent, etc.; an advocate at a special fee.
1833W. H. Breton Excursions in New South Wales ii. 51 A Government Establishment formerly existed at Wellington Valley..and it was to this place that all the principal convicts, or those called specials were sent: that is to say, those of good connections. 1837Dickens Pickw. xxiv, ‘Is the other specials outside, Dubbley?’ inquired Mr. Grummer [the chief constable]. 1867J. Morison Australia ix. 220 A laudable consideration was shown by the Government to a class of convicts belonging to..‘the upper classes of society’, and who were known by the name ‘specials’. 1882C. Pebody Eng. Journalism 147 To number among its enterprising band of correspondents the famous special of the Daily News. 1893Westm. Gaz. 29 Sept. 1/2 A ‘special’ is an advocate who is not attached to any particular Court, but who will accept any brief with a special fee of 50 guineas marked upon it. 1939War Illustr. 9 Dec. 393/3 Accompanied by German police, bands of Sudeten ‘specials’ raided the University and the Czech societies, and many persons were taken to the Gestapo headquarters. 1955Times 20 July 4/3 There were only two police constables on St. Mary's, reinforced for the occasion by four ‘specials’. 1972Times 7 Apr. 5/2 (heading) Specials platoon fired into crowd.
b. A special train, examination, prize, article, dish, edition, offer, programme, etc.
1866[G. A. Lawrence] Sans Merci xvi, They had been warned at the terminus that a ‘special’ would probably be needed. 1867Oregon State Jrnl. 19 Jan. 2/3 A Washington special says that [etc.]. 1871M. Legrand Cambr. Freshm. 298 When the ‘special’ containing the excursion party..entered the station. 1890Lancet 11 Oct. 796/1 What are known as ‘specials’ are being held this week. These are for men who partially failed at the last regular examinations. 1897Daily News 16 June 9/1 It is laid down that the same dog cannot win more than one of these specials. 1899J. F. Fraser Round World on a Wheel xiv. 162, I described..the London evening papers..the ‘specials’, ‘extra specials’, and ‘second extra specials’. 1914Joyce Dubliners 115 They went into the parlour at the back and O'Halloran ordered small hot specials all round. 1933E. Waugh Scoop ii. iv. 212 Make up the Irish edition with his morning cable... If the follow-up comes in..run a special. 1939J. B. Priestley Let People Sing ii. 44 What about ordering the Ninepenny Special—steak-and-kidney pudding and peas? 1952Hist. Times IV. i. ix. 415 The leading articles and ‘specials’ exposing the exaggerations of the ‘yellow peril’ school published during the year. 1958Punch 1 Jan. 60/3 Accepting one of his hostess's ‘specials’ at one of her now-famous ‘get-together’ parties. 1961Listener 28 Dec. 1135/2 There have, however, been single performances and ‘specials’ worthy to be recalled. 1966T. Pynchon Crying of Lot 49 i. 14 Pink flyers advertising specials at the markets. 1977B. Pym Quartet in Autumn ii. 24 I'll do one of my specials—baked beans on toast with a poached egg on top. 1979Tucson (Arizona) Citizen 20 Sept. 7b/6 NBC made a deal with the studio to make a few two-hour ‘Buck Rogers’ movies, to be shown occasionally as specials. 1980Redbook Oct. 46/1 Before you go to the supermarket, check your newspaper for sales. Watch for patterns: ‘specials’ usually occur toward the beginning of the month, when supplies are highest.
▸ Educ. Designed or provided for children who have special educational needs which prevent them from receiving (wholly) mainstream schooling; esp. in special education, special school. Cf. special needs n. and adj.
1885A. G. Bell Let. 18 Feb. in J. C. Gordon Educ. Deaf Children (1892) 70/2 Some of the brightest children can be withdrawn from the special school-room for short periods of time. 1921Handicapped Children (Connecticut Board Educ.) 6 Let us consider those children who are in need of special education because of some degree of mental abnormality. 1944Act 7 & 8 Geo. VI c. 31 §228 In fulfilling their duties under this section, a local education authority shall, in particular, have regard..to the need for securing that provision is made for pupils who suffer from any disability of mind or body by providing, either in special schools or otherwise, special educational treatment. 1968Trans-action Oct. 7/2 The prematures were more likely to be below their proper grade in school. Among white children..19·4 percent of the preemies were..in special classes. 1995Independent 31 Jan. 14/2 At present, as more special schools close each year, children requiring expert help are being absorbed into the mainstream on the cheap.
▸ Of a person (esp. a child): having particular requirements resulting from physical disability, learning or behavioural difficulties, etc. (esp. in educational contexts). Cf. special needs n. and adj.
1936M. L. Anderson in S. Glueck & E. Glueck Preventing Crime x. 183 The policies and principles under which the Binet Schools and classes function [include]:..Examination of children before assignment for physical, mental, and pedagogical handicaps... Activities and subjects suitable to special children. 1951N.Y. Times 25 June 21/8 Development of special programs to meet special needs of special children by the special institutions. 1969B. Furneaux Special Child ii. 21 (heading) Special children and their families. 1976Design for Special Needs Sept. 8/1 The same problem, of housing for ‘special’ people, was the subject of MIND's conference. 2000M. Blake 24 Karat Schmooze (2001) xvi. 175 He..spoke to them as if they were special children.
▸ special interest group n. a group of people sharing an interest in a particular subject or concern with a particular issue; spec. (a) orig. N. Amer., a group undertaking political lobbying to promote its objectives; a pressure group (cf. special interest n. at Special uses 1); (b) Computing a group of users interested in a particular subject who discuss that subject at meetings or (in later use usually) through newsgroups; (hence also) a newsgroup; abbreviated SIG.
1921N.Y. Times 1 Nov. 21/3 An illustration of corporate opposition was the unrelenting attitude of the *special interest group of the State to the passage of the Employers' Liability act. 1959W. K. Richmond Brit. Birds of Prey p. xi, How far, if at all, was it safe to rely on a phraseology which enjoyed no common currency, however acceptable it might be to this or that special-interest group? 1963Communications ACM 6 128 (heading) Special interest groups... Business Data Processing... Joint Users Group... Mathematical Programming..[etc.]. 1993Online Access Sept. 7/3 Real-time conferencing, bulletin board messaging, electronic mail and special interest groups. 1997Media Week 16 May 14/4 We subdivided publishing markets so that all special interest groups got a magazine to suit their interests.
▸ Special K n. (also with lower-case initial(s)) ‹special adj. and adv. and n. + K n. at K n. Additions, punningly after Special K, a proprietary name for a breakfast cereal slang (orig. U.S.) the veterinary anaesthetic ketamine, used as a recreational drug; cf. K n. at K n. Additions.
1986S. Churcher N.Y. Confidential vii. 174 You might want to try substituting ‘special t’ for the ‘*special k’ (ketamine) at your next dinner party. 2005Mirror (Nexis) 24 Sept. 8 She snorted line after line of coke and Special K during a debauched night at a plush apartment in London.
▸ special rapporteur n. a person appointed by an international organization (esp. the United Nations) to investigate and report on a particular issue, esp. to do with human rights; cf. rapporteur n. 2.
1930E. Drummond League of Nations Introd. 14 In the event of a political dispute, the Council appoints a *special rapporteur who explains the circumstances, suggests methods of settlement and gives a public account of the decisions reached by the Council. 1954N.Y. Times 19 Jan. 3/3 The proceedings in the U.N... Commission on Human Rights... Appointed Charles D. Ammoun..as special rapporteur to undertake global study of discrimination in education. 2007Hindustan Times 28 May 13/4 United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in Myammar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has called her confinement ‘cruel and unacceptable’.
▪ II. ˈspecial, v. slang.
[f. the n.]
1. intr. To work as a special correspondent for a newspaper.
1915T. Burke Nights in Town 318, I have worked on six newspapers... I have done everything, from subbing to specialling.
2. trans. Of a member of the staff of a hospital: to attend continuously to (a single patient).
1961‘K. Norway’ Waterfront Hospital vii. 130 She seems determined to special Emlyn Roberts. 1967Nursing Times 27 Jan. 111/1 A nurse will have to ‘special’ the patient to make the necessary observations. 1978L. Isenberg in D. Abse My Medical School 207 One night we were asked if someone would ‘special’ a lady who might require surgery during the night for suspected abdominal trauma. |