4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Special  \Spe"cial\,  a.  [L.  specialis,  fr  species  a  particular 
  sort,  kind  or  quality:  cf  F.  sp['e]cial.  See  {Species},  and 
  cf  {Especial}.] 
  1.  Of  or  pertaining  to  a  species;  constituting  a  species  or 
  sort. 
 
  A  special  is  called  by  the  schools  a  ``species''. 
  --I.  Watts. 
 
  2.  Particular;  peculiar;  different  from  others 
  extraordinary;  uncommon. 
 
  Our  Savior  is  represented  everywhere  in  Scripture  as 
  the  special  patron  of  the  poor  and  the  afficted. 
  --Atterbury. 
 
  To  this  special  evil  an  improvement  of  style  would 
  apply  a  special  redress.  --De  Quincey. 
 
  3.  Appropriate;  designed  for  a  particular  purpose,  occasion, 
  or  person;  as  a  special  act  of  Parliament  or  of  Congress; 
  a  special  sermon. 
 
  4.  Limited  in  range;  confined  to  a  definite  field  of  action 
  investigation,  or  discussion;  as  a  special  dictionary  of 
  commercial  terms;  a  special  branch  of  study. 
 
  5.  Chief  in  excellence.  [Obs.] 
 
  The  king  hath  drawn  The  special  head  of  all  the  land 
  together.  --Shak. 
 
  {Special  administration}  (Law),  an  administration  limited  to 
  certain  specified  effects  or  acts  or  one  granted  during  a 
  particular  time  or  the  existence  of  a  special  cause  as 
  during  a  controversy  respecting  the  probate  of  a  will  or 
  the  right  of  administration,  etc 
 
  {Special  agency},  an  agency  confined  to  some  particular 
  matter. 
 
  {Special  bail},  {Bail  above},  or  {Bail  to  the  action}  (Law), 
  sureties  who  undertake  that  if  the  defendant  is 
  convicted,  he  shall  satisfy  the  plaintiff,  or  surrender 
  himself  into  custody.  --Tomlins.  Wharton  (Law  Dict.). 
 
  {Special  constable}.  See  under  {Constable}.  --Bouvier. 
 
  {Special  damage}  (Law),  a  damage  resulting  from  the  act 
  complained  of  as  a  natural,  but  not  the  necessary, 
  consequence  of  it 
 
  {Special  demurrer}  (Law),  a  demurrer  for  some  defect  of  form 
  in  the  opposite  party  pleading,  in  which  the  cause  of 
  demurrer  is  particularly  stated. 
 
  {Special  deposit},  a  deposit  made  of  a  specific  thing  to  be 
  kept  distinct  from  others 
 
  {Special  homology}.  (Biol.)  See  under  {Homology}. 
 
  {Special  injuction}  (Law),  an  injuction  granted  on  special 
  grounds,  arising  of  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 
  --Daniell. 
 
  {Special  issue}  (Law),  an  issue  produced  upon  a  special  plea. 
  --Stephen. 
 
  {Special  jury}  (Law),  a  jury  consisting  of  persons  of  some 
  particular  calling,  station,  or  qualification,  which  is 
  called  upon  motion  of  either  party  when  the  cause  is 
  supposed  to  require  it  a  struck  jury. 
 
  {Special  orders}  (Mil.),  orders  which  do  not  concern,  and  are 
  not  published  to  the  whole  command,  such  as  those 
  relating  to  the  movement  of  a  particular  corps,  a  detail, 
  a  temporary  camp,  etc 
 
  {Special  partner},  a  limited  partner;  a  partner  with  a 
  limited  or  restricted  responsibility;  --  unknown  at  common 
  law. 
 
  {Special  partnership},  a  limited  or  particular  partnership; 
  --  a  term  sometimes  applied  to  a  partnership  in  a 
  particular  business,  operation,  or  adventure. 
 
  {Special  plea  in  bar}  (Law),  a  plea  setting  forth  particular 
  and  new  matter,  distinguished  from  the  general  issue. 
  --Bouvier. 
 
  {Special  pleader}  (Law),  originally,  a  counsel  who  devoted 
  himself  to  drawing  special  counts  and  pleas;  in  a  wider 
  sense  a  lawyer  who  draws  pleadings. 
 
  {Special  pleading}  (Law),  the  allegation  of  special  or  new 
  matter,  as  distingiushed  from  a  direct  denial  of  matter 
  previously  alleged  on  the  side  --Bouvier.  The  popular 
  denomination  of  the  whole  science  of  pleading.  --Stephen. 
  The  phrase  is  sometimes  popularly  applied  to  the  specious, 
  but  unsound,  argumentation  of  one  whose  aim  is  victory, 
  and  not  truth.  --Burrill. 
 
  {Special  property}  (Law),  a  qualified  or  limited  ownership 
  possession,  as  in  wild  animals,  things  found  or  bailed. 
 
  {Special  session},  an  extraordinary  session;  a  session  at  an 
  unusual  time  or  for  an  unusual  purpose;  as  a  special 
  session  of  Congress  or  of  a  legislature. 
 
  {Special  statute},  or  {Special  law},  an  act  of  the 
  legislature  which  has  reference  to  a  particular  person, 
  place  or  interest;  --  in  distinction  from  a  general  law. 
 
 
  {Special  verdict}  (Law),  a  special  finding  of  the  facts  of 
  the  case,  leaving  to  the  court  the  application  of  the  law 
  to  them  --Wharton  (Law  Dict.). 
 
  Syn:  Peculiar;  appropriate;  specific;  dictinctive; 
  particular;  exceptional;  singular.  See  {Peculiar}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Special  \Spe"cial\,  n. 
  1.  A  particular.  [Obs.]  --Hammond. 
 
  2.  One  appointed  for  a  special  service  or  occasion. 
 
  {In  special},  specially;  in  particular.  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  special 
  adj  1:  unique  or  specific  to  a  person  or  thing  or  category;  "the 
  particular  demands  of  the  job";  "has  a  paraticular 
  preference  for  Chinese  art";  "a  peculiar  bond  of 
  sympathy  between  them";  "an  expression  peculiar  to 
  Canadians";  "rights  peculiar  to  the  rich";  "the 
  special  features  of  a  computer";  "my  own  special 
  chair"  [syn:  {particular(a)},  {peculiar(a)},  {special(a)}] 
  2:  for  a  special  service  or  occasion;  "a  special 
  correspondent";  "a  special  adviser  to  the  committee";  "had 
  to  get  special  permission  for  the  event" 
  3:  surpassing  what  is  common  or  usual  or  expected;  "he  paid 
  especial  attention  to  her";  "exceptional  kindness";  "a 
  matter  of  particular  and  unusual  importance";  "a  special 
  occasion";  "a  special  reason  to  confide  in  her";  "what's 
  so  special  about  the  year  2000?"  [syn:  {especial(a)},  {exceptional}, 
  {particular(a)}] 
  4:  adapted  to  or  reserved  for  a  particular  purpose;  "a  special 
  kind  of  paint";  "a  special  medication  for  arthritis" 
  5:  having  a  specific  function  or  scope;  "a  special  (or 
  specific)  role  in  the  mission"  [syn:  {limited}] 
  6:  first  and  most  important;  "his  special  interest  is  music"; 
  "she  gets  special  (or  particular)  satisfaction  from  her 
  volunteer  work"  [syn:  {particular}] 
  7:  added  to  a  regular  schedule;  "a  special  holiday  flight"; 
  "put  on  special  buses  for  the  big  game"  [syn:  {extra}] 
  n  1:  a  special  offering  (usually  temporary  and  at  a  reduced 
  price)  that  is  featured  in  advertising;  "they  are  having 
  a  special  on  pork  chops" 
  2:  a  dish  or  meal  given  prominence  in  e.g.  a  restaurant 
  3:  a  television  production  that  features  a  particular  person  or 
  work  or  topic;  "the  last  of  a  series  of  BBC  specials  on 
  Iran  is  being  shown  tonight" 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  SPECIAL 
 
  A  SRI  specification  language.  [HDM?] 
 
  ["SPECIAL  -  A  Specification  and  Assertion  Language", 
  L.  Robinson  et  al  TR  CSL-46,  SRI,  Jan  1987]. 
 
 

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