specific legacy

specific \spe*cif"ic\ (sp[-e]*s[i^]f"[i^]k), a. [F.
   sp['e]cifique, or NL. spesificus; L. species a particular
   sort or kind + facere to make. Cf. {specify}.]
   1. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or
      constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property
      or properties of a thing which constitute its species, and
      distinguish it from other things; as, the specific form of
      an animal or a plant; the specific qualities of a drug;
      the specific distinction between virtue and vice.
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            Specific difference is that primary attribute which
            distinguishes each species from one another. --I.
                                                  Watts.
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   2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited;
      precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.
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   3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the
      body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar
      adaptation, and not on general principles; as, quinine is
      a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
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            In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the
            perfection of the science.            --Coleridge.
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   {Specific character} (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or
      characteristics distinguishing one species from every
      other species of the same genus.

   {Specific disease} (Med.)
      (a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect
          upon the blood and tissues or upon some special
          tissue.
      (b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a
          definite and peculiar poison or organism.

   {Specific duty}. (Com.) See under {Duty}.

   {Specific gravity}. (Physics) See under {Gravity}.

   {Specific heat} (Physics), the quantity of heat required to
      raise the temperature of a body one degree, taking as the
      unit of measure the quantity required to raise the same
      weight of water from zero to one degree; thus, the
      specific heat of mercury is 0.033, that of water being
      1.000.

   {Specific inductive capacity} (Physics), the effect of a
      dielectric body in producing static electric induction as
      compared with that of some other body or bodies referred
      to as a standard.

   {Specific legacy} (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as
      of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified
      and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill.

   {Specific name} (Nat. Hist.), the name which, appended to the
      name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of the
      species; -- originally applied by Linnaeus to the
      essential character of the species, or the essential
      difference. The present specific name he at first called
      the {trivial name}.

   {Specific performance} (Law), the peformance of a contract or
      agreement as decreed by a court of equity.
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SPECIFIC LEGACY. A bequest of a particular thing. 
     2. It follows that a specific legacy may be of animals or inanimate 
things, provided they are specified and separated from all other things; a 
specific legacy may therefore be of money in a bag, or of money marked and 
so described; as, I give two eagles to A B, on which are engraved the 
initials of my name. A specific legacy may also be given out of a general 
fund. Touch. 433 Amb. 310; 4 Ves. 565; 3 Ves. & Bea. 5. If the specific 
article given be, not found among the assets of the testator, the legatee 
loses his legacy; but on the other hand, if there be a deficiency of assets, 
the specific legacy will not be liable to abate with the general legacies. 1 
Vern. 31; 1 P. Wms. 422; 3 P. Wms. 365; 3 Bro. C. C. 160; vide 1 Roper on 
Leg. 150; 1 Supp. to Ves. jr. 209. Id. 231; 2 Id. 112; and  articles 
Legacy; Legatee.