英文字典中文字典Word104.com

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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.
[1913 Webster]

Specific difference is that primary attribute which
distinguishes each species from one another. --I.
Watts.
[1913 Webster]

2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited;
precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.
[1913 Webster]

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.
[1913 Webster]

In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the
perfection of the science. --Coleridge.
[1913 Webster]

{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.
[1913 Webster]


Specific \Spe*cif"ic\, n.
1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See {Specific}, a., 3.
[1913 Webster]

His parents were weak enough to believe that the
royal touch was a specific for this malady.
--Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]

2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which
it is applied. --Dr. H. More.
[1913 Webster]