From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Specify \Spec"i*fy\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Specified}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Specifying}.] [F. sp['e]cifier, or OF. especifier, fr. LL. specificare. See {Species}, {-fy}.] To mention or name, as a particular thing; to designate in words so as to distinguish from other things; as, to specify the uses of a plant; to specify articles purchased.
He has there given us an exact geography of Greece, where the countries and the uses of their soils are specified. --Pope.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement; "The will stipulates that she can live in the house for the rest of her life"; "The contract stipulates the dates of the payments" [syn: {stipulate}, {qualify}, {condition}]
2: determine the essential quality of [syn: {define}, {delineate}, {delimit}, {delimitate}]
3: decide upon or fix definitely; "fix the variables"; "specify the parameters" [syn: {set}, {determine}, {fix}, {limit}]
4: be specific about; "Could you please specify your criticism of my paper?" [syn: {particularize}, {particularise}, {specialize}, {specialise}] [ant: {generalize}]
5: define clearly; "I cannot narrow down the rules for this game" [syn: {pin down}, {peg down}, {nail down}, {narrow down}, {narrow}]
6: design or destine; "She was intended to become the director" [syn: {intend}, {destine}, {designate}]
7: select something or someone for a specific purpose; "The teacher assigned him to lead his classmates in the exercise" [syn: {assign}, {set apart}] [also: {specified}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
98 Moby Thesaurus words for "specify": address to, adduce, advert to, allude to, anatomize, assign, atomize, baptize, be taken as, bound, bring to attention, bring to notice, call, call attention to, christen, circle in, circumscribe, circumstantiate, cite, condition, define, delimit, delimitate, delineate, demarcate, denominate, denote, descend to particulars, designate, detail, determine, direct attention to, direct to, document, dub, emblematize, enclose, enter into detail, entitle, enumerate, establish, figure, finger, fix, focus on, give full particulars, identify, indicate, individualize, instance, inventory, itemize, label, lay off, limit, list, mark, mark boundaries, mark off, mark out, mark the periphery, mention, name, nickname, nominate, particularize, pick out, pin down, point at, point out, point to, precise, refer to, rope off, select, set, set forth, set out, set the limit, settle, signify, specialize, spell out, stake out, stand for, state, stigmatize, stipulate, style, substantiate, surround, symbol, symbolize, tag, term, title, touch on, typify
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