specializev.
/ˈspɛʃəlʌɪz/, /ˈspɛʃl̩ʌɪz/, U.S. /ˈspɛʃəˌlaɪz/ 1. † a. intransitive. To enter into particulars or details. Obsolete.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > the quality of being specific > become specific [verb (intransitive)] > come to particulars > go into detail
particulate1596
particularize1601
intrinsicate1603
specialize1613
to go into ——1697
to dot the i's (and cross the t's)1820
1613 G. Wither Abuses Stript Scourge sig. T7v First lash the great ones, but if thou be wise, In generall and doe not speciallize.
1850 J. S. Blackie in tr. Æschylus Lyrical Dramas I. 296 It is quite common with Æschylus to give a general description first, and then specialise.
b. transitive. To mention or indicate specially; to specify, particularize. Now rare.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > the quality of being specific > make specific [verb (transitive)] > specify or state precisely
notea1325
specifyc1340
definec1374
assign1377
expressc1400
stevenc1425
condescend1510
particulate1579
particularize1593
particular1605
specialize1616
specificate1649
individualize1655
designate1677
determinate1681
precise1793
precisionize1847
1616 R. Sheldon Suruey Miracles Church of Rome 261 Our Sauiour specialising and nominating the places in which these false prophets should teach his presence to be.
1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispach't 66 The proper answer..is to specialize some plea for themselves, which will not as well excuse their Desertours.
1873 L. Ferguson Disc. 23 Still less has he a right to specialise the sign from heaven by which the proof is to be established.
1874 J. S. Blackie On Self-culture 61 I will now specialise a few of those virtues the attainment of which should be an object of lofty ambition.
1920 W. D. Howells Vacation of Kelwyns xxii. 184 ‘Good night.’ She did not specialize Emerance, but he answered, ‘Good night’, as if she had.
1985 Illustr. Weekly India 22 Dec. 21/2 The planning brief specialised a density of 500 persons per hectare.
2. transitive. To make special, specific, or narrower in scope; to invest with a special character or function. Now somewhat rare.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or restricted in application > apply or restrict specifically to something [verb (transitive)] > render special
specialize1628
peculiarize1640
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or restricted in application > apply or restrict specifically to something [verb (transitive)] > make narrower and more intensive
specialize1628
1628 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. xlviii. sig. H12v He is at most a confus'd and wild Christian, not specializ'd, by any forme, but capable of all.
1701 J. Norris Ess. Ideal World I. vi. 321 The great difficulty is to specialize this account, to shew in particular what kind of thing truth is.
a1762 J. Tunstall Lect. Nat. & Revealed Relig. (1765) xiv. 139 Art does every where maintain its continuance, or specialize its form.
1850 F. W. Robertson Serm. 3rd Ser. v. 73 He specializes what is universal.
1855 M. Pattison in Oxf. Ess. 292 The very fact that the new statute has restrained and specialized the subjects in the School of Literae Humaniores.
1874 J. P. Mahaffy Social Life Greece xii. 362 The Attic legal system..by specialising its courts apparently provided for a prompt and accurate treatment of disputes.
1974 Nature 24 May 328/2 We can now specialise both λ, taking dλ = ds.
1978 I. Kesarcodi & I. Kesarcodi tr. V. Lossky Orthodox Theol. (1989) i. 41 The Fathers, by specializing their meaning, came to be able, without external hindrance, to root personhood in being and to personalize ontology.
3. Biology.† c. transitive. To develop (parts) by specialization. Obsolete.Apparently an isolated use.
a. transitive. To subject to specialization in form or function (cf. specialization n. 2a). Usually in passive.
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1835 West Eng. Jrnl. Oct. 218 Functions..are specialized, or separated from each other, and..a complicated set of organs is appropriated to each of them.
1892 Oak Park (Illinois) Vindicator 11 Nov. 3/4 Evolutionists believe that the five senses were developed one after another..and that the nerves controlling them were specialized in the course of the ages.
1911 Pop. Sci. Monthly Sept. 281 While nature has specialized women for child-bearing, it is society which has specialized her for housework.
1965 J. D. Carthy Behaviour of Arthropods ii. 22 The hind pair of wings are specialized into a pair of halteres which control movement.
2011 V. S. Ramachandran Tell-Tale Brain (2012) Introd. 19 The temporal lobes are specialized for higher perceptual functions.
b. intransitive. To undergo specialization (specialization n. 2a); to develop in a particular way.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or restricted in application > become specialized [verb (intransitive)]
specialize1850
the world > life > biology > biological processes > evolution > [verb (intransitive)] > processes or types of evolution
specialize1850
regress1885
speciate1964
1850 A. Gray Bot. Text-bk. (ed. 3) i. ii. 69 These cells specialized for propagation.
1889 Lancet 28 Sept. 635/1 That some cells have specialised on the amœboid character is seen in the so-called myeloplaxes.
1913 T. H. Morgan Heredity & Sex i. 16 The other colonies specialize to produce larger germ-cells—the eggs.
1943 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 30 490/2 Following their origin in the root, vessels generally originate from the base of the shoot system upward and specialize in the same direction.
2002 Intelligencer (Doylestown, Pa.) 8 Oct. a3/5 He showed that the tiny transparent worm C. elegans was useful for studying how cells specialize and organs develop.
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > evolution > evolve [verb (transitive)] > processes or types of evolution
recapitulate1874
specialize1897
1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 558 If this sort of weather goes on I expect I shall specialise fins and gills myself.
4.
a. intransitive. To concentrate on or become expert in a particular academic or vocational subject, artistic genre, skill, etc. Frequently with in.
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society > education > learning > study > [verb (intransitive)] > specialize
specialize1881
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or restricted in application > become specialized [verb (intransitive)] > specialize in some activity, etc.
specialize1881
1881 Jrnl. Educ. Mar. 51/1 They will not allow their scholars to specialize.
1925 Middletown (N.Y.) Daily Herald 1 June 1/3 He was then asked to join the staff of the ‘New York Tribune’ and continued to specialize in crime writing.
1968 ‘E. Lathen’ Stitch in Time xvi. 134 He was relocating, he explained..because of a sudden desire to specialize in dermatology.
1980 National Geographic Dec. 810/2 Senhora Guerra is one of Lisbon's fadistas , a group of talented vocalists who specialize in a particular form of musical heartbreak known as fado.
2006 Independent 3 Oct. (Extra section) 10/2 The system aims to train doctors faster..by making them specialise early.
b. intransitive. To confine oneself to providing a particular product or service. Chiefly with in.
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1908 Pall Mall Gaz. 27 Mar. 12/3 Firms..which have specialised in the manufacture of ‘heavies’ [sc. motor vehicles].
1953 W. A. Roberts Havana 246 La Zaragozana..specializes in fish and shellfish dishes.
1979 E. R. Chamberlin Preserving Past 175 There are a number of building firms who add millwrighting to their general activities, but none specialises.
2006 Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana) 3 May b5/6 The Indiana-based company specializes in 20 types of fresh baked cookies.
c. intransitive. Frequently depreciative. To make a habit of engaging in a particular activity; to be well known or notorious for something. With in.
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1923 Evening Independent (Massillon, Ohio) 14 Nov. 5/3 Watson specializes in adiposeness; none of his chorus beauties may be considered featherweights.
1963 J. E. Gordon Personality & Behavior iv. ix. 427 A young man afraid of marriage may compensate by specializing in dating and courting, becoming a ‘man about town’.
1991 N.Y. Mag. 18 Nov. 114/2 A great big megalomaniacal mess from Terry Gilliam, who specializes in messes.
2013 Wall St. Jrnl. 9 Apr. d4/2 Unhealthy divas specialize in what's known as ‘Machiavellian intelligence’—and more often as manipulation.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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