specify

verb
/ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/UK/ˈspɛs.əˌfaɪ/US

Etymology

From Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”).

  1. derived from specificō
  2. derived from specifier
  3. inherited from specifien

Definitions

  1. To state explicitly, or in detail, or as a condition.

    • I was nevere somouned, ne never hadde tydynges of this matier but by seyd lettres and other fleying tales that I heve herd sithen, ne nevere hadde to do more with the seyd John Wortes than is specified in the seyd instruccion.
    • Thanne after came A riall ordenaunce, / Too myghty princes with a grete pusaunce, / ffro Masedeyn and owt of Arkadye, / Ther cowde no man the nowmber specifie.
  2. To include in a specification.

    • It seems to me that whoever at the Department of Transport or the train operating companies, or both, is specifying the standard of seats these days has taken leave of their senses and opted for cheapness over comfort.
  3. To bring about a specific result.

  4. + 1 more definition
    1. To speak explicitly or in detail (often used with of).

      • Forthermar o þis lecheri / Agh i þe noght to specifie[…]

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at specify. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01specify02specification03service04military05navy06department07specified

A definitional loop anchored at specify. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at specify

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA