specify 
specify (spes'i-fi), r. t. ; pret. and pp. xprcijieit, 
ppr. .i/>i'cifi/iiii/. [< .MK. xiiiri/fi/i-ii, ftpt-riticii, < 
OF. specifier, i.i/u<'(!ici-, V. specifier = I'r. Sp. Pg. 
fx/if<-itirtir = It. .i/MTijii-in-i = I). .i/nTiJicerrii = 
(',. spn-Uii-irt'ii = !S\v. spi-i-ilid-ru = Dun. xprciji- 
i-i'i-e, < ML. sperififan , make specific, mention 
specifically, (.specific us, specific, particular: see 
xpri'ijic.] 1. To mention specifically or ex- 
plicitly; state exactly or in detail; name dis- 
tinctly: as, to specify the persons concerned in 
a given act ; to specify one's wants, or articles 
required. 
Ther cowde no man the nowmber specific. 
Gentry dea (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1963. 
I nevere hadde to do more with the seyd John Wortes 
than is specified in the seyd instruction. 
Pafton Letters, I. 20. 
There is no need of specifying particulars in this class 
of uses. Emerson, Nature, p. 17. 
2. To name as a requisite, as in technical spe- 
cifications ; set down in a specification. 3. 
To make specific ; give a specific character to ; 
distinguish as of a species or kind. [Rare.] 
Be specified in yourself, but not specified by anything 
foreign to yourself. F. H. Bradley, Ethical Studies, p. 71. 
= Syn. To indicate, particularize, individualize. 
specillum (spe-sil'um), n. ; pi. specilla (-a). [L., 
< specere, look, behold: see species.] 1. Iinwcrf., 
a probe. 2. A lens; an eye-glass. 
specimen (spes'i-men), n. [= F. specimen = 
hp. espccimen. < L. specimen, that by which a 
thing is known, a mark, token, proof, < spe- 
cere, see: see species.] 1. A part or an indi- 
vidual taken as exemplifying a whole mass or 
number; something that represents or illus- 
trates all of its kind ; au illustrative example : 
as, a collection of geological specimens; a wild 
specimen of the human or of the feline race ; a 
specimen page of a book (a page shown as a 
specimen of what the whole is or is to be) ; a 
specimen copy of a medal. 
The best specimens of the Attic coinage give a weight 
of 4.360 grammes (67.38-f grains Troy) for the drachma. 
Tram. Amer. PhUol. Ass., XVI. 117. 
Curzola is a perfect specimen of a Venetian town. 
E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 20S. 
The leaf sculpture of the door jambs of the Cathedral 
of Florence affords specimens of the best Italian work of 
this sort (fourteenth century). 
C. H. Moore, Gothic Architecture, p. 206. 
2. In zool. and but., an individual animal or 
plant, or some part of one, prepared and pre- 
served for scientific examination ; an example 
of a species or other group ; a preparation: as, 
a specimen of natural history; a. specimen of the 
dog or the rose. Abbreviated sp. and spec. 3. 
A typical individual ; one serving as a specially 
striking or exaggerated example of the kind in- 
dicated. [Jocose and colloq.] 
There were some curious specimens among my visitors. 
Thoremt, Walden, p. 163. 
= Syn, Specimen, Sample. A specimen is a part of a larger 
whole employed to exhibit the nature or kind of that of 
which it forms a part, without reference to the relative 
quality of individual portions; thus, a cabinet of miner- 
alogical specimens exhibits the nature of the rocks from 
which they are broken. A sample is a part taken out of a 
quantity, and implies that the quality of the whole is to be 
judged by it, and not rarely that it is to be used as a stan- 
dard for testing the goodness, genuineness, or purity of 
the whole, and the like. In many cases, however, the 
words are used indifferently. Sample is more often used 
in trade : as, a sample of cotton or coffee. 
specie-logical (spe"shi-o-loj'i-kal), 11. [< spe- 
ciolofi-i/ + -ic-aL] Of 'or pertaining to speci- 
ology. 
speciology (spe-shi-ol'o-ji), . [< L. species. 
species, + Gr. -?.oj in, < teyeiv, speak : see -oloyy.] 
In biol., the science of species; the doctrine of 
the origin and nature of species. 
speciosity (spe-shi-os'i-ti), .; pi. apeciosities 
(-tiz). [< OF. speciosite = Sp. especiosidad = 
Pg. especiosidade = It. speziosiitt, < LL. speciosi- 
ta(t-)s, good looks, beauty, < L. speeiosns, good- 
looking, beautiful, splendid : see specious.] If. 
The state of being specious or beautiful; a beau- 
tiful show or spectacle; something delightful 
to the eye. 
So great a glory as all the speciosittes of the world could 
not equalise. 
Dr. 11. More, On Godliness, III. vi. 5. (Bncyc. Diet.) 
2. The state of being specious or plausible ; a 
specious show; a specious person or thing. 
[Rare.] 
5808 
or showy; appearing beautiful or charming; 
sightly; beautiful. [Archaic.] 
The rest, far greater part, 
Will deem in outward rites and specious forms 
Religion satisfied. Milton, P. L., xii. 534. 
2. Superficially fair, just, or correct ; appearing 
well; apparently right; plausible; beguiling: 
;i-. xpeeious reasoning; a upccimn, 'argument ', a 
xpiTiniix person or book. 
It is easy for princes under various .^*r/"i pretences 
to defend, disguise, and conceal their ambitious desires. 
Bacon, Political Fables, ii., Expl. 
Thou specious Head without a Brain. Prior, A Fable. 
He coined 
A brief yet specious tale, how I had wasted 
The sum in secret riot. Shelley, The Cenci, iii. 1. 
3. Appearing actual, or in reality; actually 
existing; not imaginary. [Rare.] 
Let me sum up, now, by saying that we are constantly 
conscious of a certain duration the specious present 
varying in length from a few seconds to probably not more 
than a minute, and that this duration (with its content 
perceived as having one part earlier and the other part 
later) is the original intuition of time. 
W. James, Prin. of Psychol., I. 642. 
4f. Pertaining to species or a species Specious 
arithmetic, algebra : so called by old writers following 
Vtete. The phrase implies that algebra is computation by 
means of species, or letters denoting quantities; but the 
choice of the name was probably influenced by the beauty 
"' '"-' '" processes. Specious logistic. See logistic. 
speckless 
2. Of fruit, specifically, to mark with a discol- 
ored spot denoting decay or rot : usually in the 
past participle. 
It seemed as if the whole fortune or failure of her shop 
might depend on the display of a different set of articles, 
n] substituting :i fairer apple for one which appeared to 
he specked. llau-thnrne, Seven Uables, iii. 
speck" (spek), H. [Prop, "spick (the form npi-i-1; 
being dial., and in part due to D. or G.); early 
mod. E. xpyrki; < ME. xpil,; .v/i///.'. xpil.-i; also as- 
= Zend pirn fill = Skt. pinni, fat.] Fat; lurd ; 
fat meat. Now used chiefly as derived from the German 
in the parts of Pennsylvania originally settled by Germans 
or from the Dutch in New York (also in South Africa, for 
the fat meat of the hippopotamus); among whalers it is 
used for whale's blubber. 
Adue good Cheese and Oynons, stnffe thy ^iu> 
With Speeke and Barley-pudding for digestion. 
Heywood, English Traveller, i. -2. 
Speck (in Pennsylvania] is the hybrid offspring of 
English pronunciation and German Speck (pronounced 
schpeck), the generic term applied to all kinds of fat 
meat. Trans. Amer. Ptiilol. Ass., XVII., App., p. xii. 
Speck and applejees, per* fat and apples cut up and 
manner; with an appearance of fairness or of 
reality; with show^f right: as, to reason spe- 
, , - , /1.1 ~, --- . 
SpeCK-DlOCK (spek blok), n. In lehalmg, a block 
through which a speck-fall is rove. 
speck-fall (spek'fal), M. [< specV* +/3.] In 
! , afallor ropeS^ethrouihablock 
'' " ' Wllbb " " > dbtme the w ha J - 
Professions built so largely on speciosity instead of 
formance. 
Carlule. 
specious (spe'shus), a. [< ME. specious, < OF. 
specieux, F. specieux = Sp. Pg. especioso = It. 
spezioso, < L. ftptciosus, good-looking, beautiful, 
fair, < species, form, figure, beauty: see spe- 
cies.] 1. Pleasing to the eye; externally fair 
led by it and none offended. 
Lander, Imag. Conv., Anacreon and Polycrates. 
spaciousness (spe'shus-nes), n. The state or 
quality of being specious; plausible appear- 
ance; fair external show: as, the xperiouxm . 
of an argument. 
His theory owes its speciousness to packing, and to pack- 
ing alone. Macaulay, Sadler's Refutation Refuted. 
speck 1 (spek), n. [< ME. speeke, spekke, < AS. 
specca (pi. speccan), a spot, speck (also in 
comp. spcc-faag, specked, spotted); of. LG. 
spoken, spot with wet, spakig, spotted with 
wet; MD. spicken, spit, spickelen, spot, speckle: 
see speckle.] 1. A very small superficial spot 
or stain ; a small dot, blot, blotch, or patch ap- 
pearing on or adhering to a surface : as, S2>ecks 
of mold on paper ; fly -specks on a wall. 
He was wonderfully careful that his shoes and clothes 
should be without the least speck upon them. 
Uteele, Tatler, No. 4S. 
2. In fruit, specifically, a minute spot denot- 
ing the beginning of decay; a pit or spot of rot 
or rottenness; hence, sometimes, a fruit af- 
fected by rot. 
The shrivelled, dwarfish, or damaged fruit, called by the 
street traders the specks. 
Mayheu; London Labour and London Poor, 1. 117. 
The little rift within the lover's lute, 
Or little pitted speck in garner'd fruit, 
That rotting inward slowly moulders all. 
Tennyson, Merlin and Vivien (song). 
3f. A patch or piece of some material. 
But Robin did on the old mans cloake, 
And it was torn in the necke ; 
" Now by my faith," said William Scarlett, 
" Heere shold be set a speeke." 
Robin Hood and the Old Man (Child's Ballads, V. 258). 
4. Something appearing as a spot or patch ; a 
small piece spread out : as. a speck of snow or 
of cloud. 
Come forth under the speck of open sky. 
Hawthorne, Seven Gables, vi. 
5. A distinct or separate piece or particle ; a 
very little bit ; an atom ; a mite : as, specks of 
dust; a speck of snuff or of soot; hence, the 
smallest quantity; the least morsel : as, he has 
not a speck of humor or of generosity. 
The bottom consisting of gray sand with black specks. 
Anson, Voyages, ii. 7. 
Still wrong bred wrong within her, day by day 
Some little speck of kindness fell away. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, II. 326. 
6. A percoid fish, Ulocentra stigm&a of Jordan, 
common in ponds of the hill-country from Geor- 
gia to Louisiana. It is a darter, 2$ inches long, 
of an olivaceous color, speckled with small or- 
ange spots, and otherwise variegated. 7. A 
speck-moth. 
speck 1 (spek), r. t. [<ME. specken ; <speck*, .] 
1. To spot; mark or stain in spots or dots. 
11'yclif, Gen. xxx. 32. 
Each flower of slender stalk, whose head, though gay 
Carnation, purple, azure, or speck'd with gold 
Hung drooping unsustain'd. Milton, P. L., ix. 429. 
speckled : as, yellow with patches of speckle. 
She curiously examined . . . the peculiar speckle of Its 
plumage. Hawthorne, Seven Gables, x. 
2. Color; hence, kind; sort. [Scotch.] 
As ye well ken, . . . "the wauges o' sin Is deith. " But, 
maistly, . . . sinners get first wauges o' anither speckle 
frae the maister o' them. 
O. Macdonald, Warlock o' Glenwarlock, xii. 
speckle (spek'l), r.<.; pret. and pp. speckled, ppr. 
speckling. [< MD. spickelen, speeekelen, spot, 
speckle: see speckle, .] To mark with specks 
or spots ; fleck ; speck ; spot. 
ie [the boar] rushed at him, 
idlse, I. 348. 
speckle-belly (spek'l-bel'i), n. 1. The North 
American wnite-fronted goose, Anser albifrons 
gambeli: so called in California because the 
under parts are whitish, blotched and patched 
with black. Also called harlequin bran t, speckled 
brant. See cut under laut/liitig-goose. 2. The 
gadwall, or gray duck, Cliaitlelasmus streperus. 
See cut under Chaulelasmus. G. Tntmbull, 1888. 
[Long Island.] 3. A trout or char, as the 
common brook-trout of the United States, Sal- 
velintitt fontinalis. See cut under char*. 
speckled (spek'ld),^). a. [< speckle + -edS.] 1. 
Spotted; specked; marked with small spots of 
indeterminate character; maculate: specifical- 
ly noting many animals. 
I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from 
thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown 
cattle among thesheep, and the spotted &nAspeckled among 
the goats : and of such shall be my hire. Gen. xxx. 32. 
Ouer the body they haue built a Tombe of speckled stone, 
a brace and halfe high. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 271. 
2. Variegated in appearance or character; di- 
versified; motley; piebald: as, a speckled com- 
pany. [Colloq.] 
It was a singularly freaked and speckled group. 
S. Judd, Margaret, 1. 10. 
Speckled alder. See alderi, i. Speckled beauty (a) 
A trout : a trite cant phrase. (6) A British geometrid moth, 
Cleora riduaria. Speckled-bill, the speckled-billed coot, 
or spectacle-coot ; the surf-duck, (Edemia perspieillata. 
[New Eng.) Speckled brant. Same as speckle-belly, 1. 
Speckled footman, a British bonibycid moth, Euiepia 
cribrvm. Speckled leech, Hirudo or Sanguisuga medi- 
cinalis, one of the forms oi medicinal leech. Speckled 
loon. See loon. Speckled terrapin. See terrapin. 
Speckled trout, a speckle-belly; the brook-trout 
Speckled wood, palmyra-wood cut transversely into ve- 
neers, and showing the ends of dark fibers mixed with 
lighter wood. Speckled yellow, a British geometrid 
moth, Venilia maculata. 
speckledness (spek'ld-nes), . The state of be- 
ing speckled. 
speckled-tailed (spek'ld-tald), a. Having a 
speckled tail: specifically noting Tlirj/otliorits 
bewicki spilurus, a variety of Bewick's wren 
found on the Pacific coast of the United States, 
translating the word spilurus. 
speckless (spek'les), a. [< speck + -Jess.] Free 
from specks or spots ; spotless ; fleckless ; per- 
fectly clean, clear, or bright : as, speckless linen ; 
a speckless sky. 
