Library / English Dictionary

SPECIFY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: specified   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Select something or someone for a specific purpose

Example:

The teacher assigned him to lead his classmates in the exercise

Synonyms:

assign; set apart; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

dedicate (set apart to sacred uses with solemn rites, of a church)

detail (assign to a specific task)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

specification (naming explicitly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Design or destine

Example:

She was intended to become the director

Synonyms:

designate; destine; intend; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

plan (make plans for something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

mean (destine or designate for a certain purpose)

design (plan something for a specific role or purpose or effect)

slate (designate or schedule)

aim; calculate; direct (specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sense 3

Meaning:

Define clearly

Example:

I cannot narrow down the rules for this game

Synonyms:

nail down; narrow; narrow down; peg down; pin down; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

determine (fix in scope; fix the boundaries of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

concretize (make something concrete)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

specifier (someone who draws up specifications giving details (as for obtaining a patent))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Decide upon or fix definitely

Example:

specify the parameters

Synonyms:

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

quantify (use as a quantifier)

name (mention and identify by name)

reset (set anew)

define (give a definition for the meaning of a word)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement

Example:

The contract stipulates the dates of the payments

Synonyms:

condition; qualify; specify; stipulate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

contract; undertake (enter into a contractual arrangement)

Verb group:

stipulate (give a guarantee or promise of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

provide (determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), especially by including a proviso condition or stipulation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

specification (a restriction that is insisted upon as a condition for an agreement)

specification (a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be specific about

Example:

Could you please specify your criticism of my paper?

Synonyms:

particularise; particularize; specialise; specialize; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate (add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

spell out (make explicit; specify in detail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They specify that there was a traffic accident

Antonym:

generalize (speak or write in generalities)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Determine the essential quality of

Synonyms:

define; delimit; delimitate; delineate; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "specify" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "specify"):

determine (fix in scope; fix the boundaries of)

redefine (give a new or different definition to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

A date until which the medical product retains its properties within specified limits, and resists conditions that may affect its stated performance.

(Medical Product Stability Date, NCI Thesaurus)

The rate of disease occurrence, or proportion of disease occurrences in a given population, during a specified time period, statistically modified to eliminate the effect of the various age distributions.

(Age-Adjusted Incidence Rate, NCI Thesaurus)

They persisted in withdrawing for the specified time.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A category specifying that a product is marketed as a medical food under the statutory definition found in section FDA regulation 21 C.F.R. 101.9(j)(8).

(Medical Food Marketing Category, NCI Thesaurus)

The period during which a medical product retains its properties and stated performance within specified limits if stored under defined conditions.

(Medical Product Shelf Life, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The unit of measure first specified in the microbiology specimen examination.

(Microbiology Specimen Examination Original Result Unit, NCI Thesaurus)

An aerosol contained in a device with valves that permits the release of a specified quantity of active and/or inert ingredient(s) upon activation.

(Metered Aerosol Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

Specifies whether a planned or preestablished event or activity did not occur.

(Missed Indicator, NCI Thesaurus)

Specifies whether a study is designed to be conducted at more than one site concurrently.

(Multi-institution Indicator, NCI Thesaurus)

Usually refers to white fat unless specified as brown.

(Mouse Adipose Tissue, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)