specify
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 17
- Words With Friends
- 18
- Letters
- 7
/ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/
(UK)
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/ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/ (UK) · /ˈspɛs.əˌfaɪ/ (US)
Definition of specify
4 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included
verb
-
(transitive)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.”
“But there is no need of specifying particulars in this class of uses. The catalogue is endless, and the examples so obvious, that I shall leave them to the reader’s reflection, with the general remark, that this mercenary benefit is one which has respect to a farther good. A man is fed, not that he may be fed, but that he may work.”
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verb
-
(transitive)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.”
“But there is no need of specifying particulars in this class of uses. The catalogue is endless, and the examples so obvious, that I shall leave them to the reader’s reflection, with the general remark, that this mercenary benefit is one which has respect to a farther good. A man is fed, not that he may be fed, but that he may work.”
-
(transitive)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.”
- (transitive)To bring about a specific result.
-
(intransitive, obsolete)To speak explicitly or in detail (often used with of).
“Forthermar o þis lecheri / Agh i þe noght to specifie[…]”
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Etymology
From Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”).
Words you can make from specify
62 playable · top: SPICEY (13 pts)
Best play spicey 13 points5-letter words
7 words4-letter words
21 words3-letter words
24 words2-letter words
9 wordsFind your best play with specify
See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes specify, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.