from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.
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A special is called by the schools a "species". --I.
Watts.
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2. Particular; peculiar; different from others;
extraordinary; uncommon.
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Our Savior is represented everywhere in Scripture as
the special patron of the poor and the afficted.
--Atterbury.
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To this special evil an improvement of style would
apply a special redress. --De Quincey.
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3. Appropriate; designed for a particular purpose, occasion,
or person; as, a special act of Parliament or of Congress;
a special sermon.
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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.
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5. Chief in excellence. [Obs.]
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The king hath drawn
The special head of all the land together. --Shak.
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{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; a {private law}; -- in distinction
from a {general law} or {public 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.).
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Syn: Peculiar; appropriate; specific; dictinctive;
particular; exceptional; singular. See {Peculiar}.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Constable \Con"sta*ble\ (k[o^]n"st[.a]*b'l or
k[u^]n"st[.a]*b'l), n. [OE. conestable, constable, a
constable (in sense 1), OF. conestable, F. conn['e]table, LL.
conestabulus, constabularius, comes stabuli, orig., count of
the stable, master of the horse, equerry; comes count (L.
companion) + L. stabulum stable. See {Count} a nobleman, and
{Stable}.]
1. A high officer in the monarchical establishments of the
Middle Ages.
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Note: The constable of France was the first officer of the
crown, and had the chief command of the army. It was
also his duty to regulate all matters of chivalry. The
office was suppressed in 1627. The constable, or lord
high constable, of England, was one of the highest
officers of the crown, commander in chief of the
forces, and keeper of the peace of the nation. He also
had judicial cognizance of many important matters. The
office was as early as the Conquest, but has been
disused (except on great and solemn occasions), since
the attainder of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in the
reign of Henry VIII.
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2. (Law) An officer of the peace having power as a
conservator of the public peace, and bound to execute the
warrants of judicial officers. --Bouvier.
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Note: In England, at the present time, the constable is a
conservator of the peace within his district, and is
also charged by various statutes with other duties,
such as serving summons, precepts, warrants, etc. In
the United States, constables are town or city officers
of the peace, with powers similar to those of the
constables of England. In addition to their duties as
conservators of the peace, they are invested with
others by statute, such as to execute civil as well as
criminal process in certain cases, to attend courts,
keep juries, etc. In some cities, there are officers
called {high constables}, who act as chiefs of the
constabulary or police force. In other cities the title
of constable, as well as the office, is merged in that
of the police officer.
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{High constable}, a constable having certain duties and
powers within a hundred. [Eng.]
{Petty constable}, a conservator of the peace within a parish
or tithing; a tithingman. [Eng.]
{Special constable}, a person appointed to act as constable
of special occasions.
{To} {overrun the constable}, or {outrun the constable}, to
spend more than one's income; to get into debt. [Colloq.]
--Smollett.
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