SPECIFICS
Noun
specifics
plural of specific
Source: Wiktionary
SPECIFIC
Spe*cif"ic, a. Etym: [F. spécifique, or NL. cpesificus; 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.
Specific difference is that primary attribute which distinguishes
each species from one another. I. Watts.
2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited; precise;
discriminating; as, a specific statement.
3. (Med.)
Definition: 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.)
Definition: 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition