Spece (Spece) n. Species; kind. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Specht (Specht) n. [See Speight.] (Zoöl.) A woodpecker. [Obs. or prov. Eng.] Sherwood.
Special (Spe"cial) a. [L. specialis, fr. species a particular sort, kind, or quality: cf. F. spécial. See Species,
and cf. Especial.]
1. Of or pertaining to a species; constituting a species or sort.
A special is called by the schools a "species". I. Watts. 2. Particular; peculiar; different from others; extraordinary; uncommon.
Our Savior is represented everywhere in Scripture as the special patron of the poor and the afficted. Atterbury.
To this special evil an improvement of style would apply a special redress. De Quincey. 3. Appropriate; designed for a particular purpose, occasion, or person; as, a special act of Parliament or
of Congress; a special sermon.
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.
5. Chief in excellence. [Obs.]
The king hath drawn The special head of all the land together. Shak. 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 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
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