| 释义 |
specify, v.|ˈspɛsɪfaɪ|
Forms: 4–6 specyfy (5–6 specyfe), 4–7 specifie, 4– specify (5–6 -fe); 4 specefie, 5–6 -fy, 6 -fye (6 specief-, speesyf-).
[a. OF. specifier (13th c.; mod.F. spécifier, Prov., Sp. especificar, It. specificare), ad. med.L. specificāre to describe, mention, note particularly or specifically.]
†1. intr. To speak or make relation of some matter fully or in detail. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 27959 Forthermar o þis lecheri Agh i þe noght to specifie. 1390Gower Conf. III. 86 If I therof schal specefie So as the Philosophre tolde, Nou herkne. 1487Cely Papers (Camden) 161, I wrate ij letters to yow..specyfying of divers matters of Flaunders. c1489Caxton Blanchardyn 1 Whiche boke specyfyeth of the noble actes and fayttes of warre, achyeued by..Blanchardin.
2. trans. To mention, speak of, or name (something) definitely or explicitly; to set down or state categorically or particularly; to relate in detail. Usually said of persons, but sometimes of an act, document, etc.
c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 3352 Now wille I som syns here specify For whilk þai duelle in purgatory. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 294 Petre specifieþ here mekenes, þat men shulde have bi ensaumple of Crist. a1400Harmony Gospels (MS. Bodl. 771) Prol., Here..beginneþ a table þat specifieþ euery chapitre..in þis book. c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 10 They began to syng..This same roundelle wiche I schalle now specify. 1491Rolls of Parlt. VI. 443/1 Any other greter charge, than in the said acte is specified. 1515Barclay Egloges iii. (1570) B vj b/2 Then haste thou wretched payne Of colde or of heate, of thirst, hunger and rayne. And mo other paynes then I will specify. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 233 A terrible tempest was lyke to enswe, as in the seventh booke is specifyed. 1600E. Blount Hosp. Incur. Fooles 39 Yet had he no more in his armie, then we haue specified. 1648Wilkins Math. Magic i. x. 61 It shall not therefore be impertinent..to specifie some of the most remarkable amongst them. 1766Blackstone Comm. II. 319 But then there must many requisites be observed, which the statute specifies, otherwise such leases are not binding. 1827Jarman Powell's Devises II. 329 If the number specified correspond with the number existing at the date of the will. 1855Prescott Philip II, ii. vii. I. 215 The fact that the lords had not specified any particular subject of complaint..gave the king an obvious advantage. 1894Solicitors' Jrnl. XXXIX. 2/2 The..report..must state that fraud has been committed, though the guilty person need not be specified.
b. With clause as object, freq. introduced by that. † Also with to be or simple complement.
(a)c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 341 How crist specified to petre to ȝyue hym þe keyes of heuen. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 2451 For poetis specifye That goddys..Purposede of presumpsion To wrastle with this Champyon. 1430–40― Bochas ix. i. (1554) 20 b, To shewe and specifye He was the prophet that called was Messy. 1470–85Malory Arthur xxi. i. 839 The letters specefyed that Kynge Arthur was slayn in bataylle. 1547J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes f iij, Our Cronicles specifie yt those .xviii. kinges were in Englande. 1582T. Watson Centurie of Love lxxii. (Arb.) 108 In this Sonnet The Authour seemeth to specifie, that his Beloued [etc.]. 1834K. H. Digby Mores Cath. v. vi. 181 Philippe Augustus, in founding a daily mass.., specifies that it shall be said early in the morning.
(b)1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 288 Saynt Merwalde specyfyed vncle to saint Werburge. 1597J. Payne Royal Exch. 47 The..sede of Abraham, specifyed to be lyke in nomber to the starrs.
c. In pa. pple. with limiting adverb preceding (rarely following).
1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy v. 3599 Þat noble myȝti conquerour, Herry þe Fyfþe, to-forn y-specefied. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1885) 140 A ffewe regions beffore specified. 1467in Eng. Gilds (1870) 389 In eny of them above specified. 1562Wynȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 9 As we do to the warldly ignorantis abone specifiit. 1576Fleming tr. Caius' Dogs (1880) 2 There are two sortes of Dogges by whose meanes, the feates within specifyed are wrought. 1651Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxx. 175 The essentiall Rights of Soveraignty (specified before in the eighteenth Chapter). 1664Power Exp. Philos. i. 16, I could not onely see the long bristles formerly specified. 1710in Nairne Peerage Evidence (1874) 153 The severall yearly few dutys above specified payable to us. 1799G. Smith Laboratory I. 185 Take thereof double the quantity above specified. 1800Med. Jrnl. III. 428 The patient has never suffered the least return of her fits since the time there specified.
d. With omission of direct object, esp. in clauses introduced by as.
1390Gower Conf. II. 86 The ferste, if I schal specefie, Was lapis vegetabilis. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 2578 Liche as to ȝow I thenke specifie [v.r. to specifie]. 1433― St. Edmund i. 96 Be sentence of prudent Carnotense In Enteticon where he doth specifie. 1532More Confut. Barnes viii. Wks. 812/1 The very true church of Christ..is.. this one comon well knowen catholyke churche.., as I before haue specifyed. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. ii. ii. 131 The rich Iewes man that would, sir, as my Father shall specifie. 1709Hearne in R. Glouc. Chron. II. 597 Accordingly several Editions follow'd with Improvements, as you have particularly specify'd in your Paper.
†3.
a. To make special mention of (a person); to celebrate. Obs.—1
c1450Holland Howlat 733 Haile speciose, most specifyit with the spiritualis! Haile ordanit or Adam, and ay til indur!
†b. To exhibit or show (a quality, etc.) to advantage or in a special manner. Obs.—1
a1575Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) 254 This certis was a singuler and notable fighte, wheerin the Englishe people didd well specifie their manwhode and valiance.
†4. To call by a specific name. Obs.—1
1652Selden Domin. Sea 21 Some of the aforesaid Autors speak with general words, saying the Sea of the Venitians; yet others do specifie it, using the name of the Gulf.
5. To invest with a specific character.
1645Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 54 An intention to take satisfactory vengeance on the reprobate, specifieth his rod, and maketh it punishment of black wrath. 1676Gale Crt. Gentiles ii. iv. 421 An action is specified from its particular cause, not from the first universal cause. 1750tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 59 Only that form which specifies the matter is more powerful than other forms. 1876F. H. Bradley Ethical Stud. 71 Be specified in yourself, but not specified by anything foreign to yourself.
†6. intr. To develop into different species; to vary in kind or character. Obs.
1664Evelyn Sylva (1679) 3 Some there are, ‘Spring of themselves unforc't by human care,’ Specifying according to the various disposition of the Air and Soil.
Hence ˈspecifying vbl. n. and ppl. a.
1673–4[see special a. 6 b]. 1681Baxter Acc. Sherlocke v. 204 Its species is the specifying Form. 1701Norris Ideal World i. iii. 164 How then will you distinguish,..since 'tis himself that is still the specifying object in both? 1819Chalmers Congregat. Serm. Wks. 1836 VIII. 368 That..which impresses on the mercy of the Gospel its essential and specifying characteristic. |