[ad. med.L. specificātiōn-em, n. of action f. specificāre SPECIFY, or a. F. spécification (1341 in Godef., Compl.), = It. specificazione, Sp. especificacion, Pg. -ação.]
† 1. The action of investing with some specific or determinate quality; conversion to something specific. Obs.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 285. All formation and specification (for you must giue vs leaue to vse our Schoole-tearmes in these matters of Art) that is, all power to set the seale or figure or difference vpon any thing.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1679), 3. The maturer seeds … freeing themselves from those impediments which hindred their Specification and Nativity.
1701. Norris, Ideal World, I. 261. So then the creatures owe their pure being to the power of God, but the specification of their being to his ideality.
b. Roman and Scots Law. The formation of a new species of property out of material belonging to another by converting it into a different form.
1651. W. G., trans. Cowel’s Inst., 65. There is also an accession by specification or changing the Species, as if a man create a new Species out of a substance which was anothers, the property shall be in him, that made the Species.
1681. Stair, Instit., I. xii. 189. Appropriation by Specification.
1736. in Bell, Comm. Laws Scot. (1826), I. 277. It was found, that the specification by malting did not bar the reduction.
1765–8. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., II. i. § 16. Under accession may be included specification, by which is understood a person’s making a new species or subject, from materials belonging to another.
1826. Bell, Comm. Laws Scot., I. 276. The famous controversy of the Proculeiani and Sabiniani concerning specification.
1869. R. Campbell, Austin’s Jurispr. (ed. 3), II. liv. 904. There are various cases in which a party acquires a right in a thing belonging to another by labour employed upon it; for instance in the Roman Law by specification, that is by giving it a new form.
† 2. A specific character, quality or nature. Obs.
1628. Donne, Serm., John xiv. Wks. 1839, I. 534. His specification, his character, his title, Paracletus, the Comforter, passes through all.
1656. Jeanes, Mixt. Schol. Div., 40. An act ought to be proportioned unto it’s object, seeing it takes therefrom it’s specification.
1710. W. Salmon (title), Botanologia. The English Herbal: or, History of Plants. Containing their Names,… Species,… Descriptions,… Qualities,… Specifications,… and Uses.
3. Specific definition or description; description by specific or peculiar characters; † a specific name or appellation.
1633. J. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter ii. Wks. 1865, X. 408. Therefore this lust hath the specification: lust of uncleanness.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 64. It is … either a spirituall Mercy (common or speciall) or else Mercy in the generall without specification.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., 41. Men … must alter their Terms as they proceed from one thing to another, and add to them in the specifications of them.
1734. Waterland, Import. Doctr. Holy Trin., ii. 37. In short, the Specification of our Worship, and the right Direction of it, are nearly concern’d in this Doctrine.
1879. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 218. The second element in the specification of a force is its direction…. The third element in the specification of a force is its magnitude.
1879. H. Spencer, Data Ethics, vi. § 39. 100. From the biological point of view, ethical science becomes a specification of the conduct of associated men.
b. Logic. (See quots. and DETERMINATION 5 b.)
1864. Bowen, Logic, iv. 75. The contrary process, of descending from higher to lower Concepts through the successive assumption of Marks, is called Determination,—more properly Specification, as it expresses the act of becoming a Species.
1877. E. Caird, Philos. Kant, II. iv. 273. An endless process of specification which, beginning with the most general and vague determinations,… goes on to determine the object in all its particular relations.
1884. trans. Lotze’s Logic, 185. We may set down any conception M as equivalent to any other conception N when we have by further specification so changed N that it is equal to M.
c. Assignment to a (new) species. rare–1.
1878. Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), III. 160. I should think nearly perfect separation would greatly aid in their ‘specification,’ to coin a new word.
4. Specific, explicit or detailed mention, enumeration or statement of something.
1642. Jer. Taylor, Episc. (1647), 119. No example in all Scripture of any censure inflicted by any meere Presbyters, either upon Clergy or Laity; no specification of any power that they had so to doe.
1658. T. Wall, Charact. Enemies Ch., 30. The specification of these other beasts in the text prompts my inclination to this sense.
1719. F. Hare, Ch. Author. Vind., 27. By demanding a Specification of the powers claimed.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), II. 47, note. Besides others for very obscure persons, and without specification of place.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ii. 380. The allegation of precipitation and unfairness … he … by a specification of circumstances endeavoured to disprove.
1839. Hallam, Hist. Lit., IV. vii. § 60. The specification of some public or private library where they may be seen.
1862. Marsh, Eng. Lang., iii. 59. The specification of the particular colours which he ascribes to the wings of the archangel.
b. Without const.
1767. Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 97. Celsus agrees with Hippocrates, adding some specifications, in respect to the wounded parts.
1794. Paley, Evid., II. i. (1825), II. 224. If the prophecies had been composed after the event, there would have been more specification.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), II. xix. 179. This illustrious family … is worthy of specification.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. I. App. 546. The provisions of the whole fifth section … are in so many State constitutions that no specification is needed for them.
c. spec. A document, drawn up by the applicant for a patent and submitted to the proper authority, giving an explicit description of the nature, details, construction and use of an invention.
1791. Obs. Utility Patents, 16. The Patentee being under the necessity of describing in his Specification the nature and form of his invention in all its parts.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 140. We shall now take so much from the specification of the patent … as may explain [etc.].
1854. Ronalds & Richardson, Chem. Technol. (ed. 2), I. 369. The drawings are taken from Mr. Reece’s original specification.
1882. Engineer, 24 Feb., 138/2. After carefully perusing the defendant’s specification,… I am led to think [etc.].
d. techn. A detailed description of the particulars of some projected work in building, engineering, or the like, giving the dimensions, materials, quantities, etc., of the work, together with directions to be followed by the builder or constructor; the document containing this.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 233. Particulars, or Specification and Estimate. Ibid. We shall give the specification, for each trade, in a separate paragraph.
1850. Denison, Clock & Watch-m., 272. I have seen a specification … furnished sometime ago by an eminent architect for an important public clock.
1883. M. P. Bale, Saw-Mills, 67. The author appends a short specification of 30 h.-p. boiler suitable for saw-mill work.
e. A specified article, item or particular.
1828–32. in Webster. Hence in later Dicts.
