Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SPE'CIAL, a. [Fr.; It. speziale; Sp. especial; from L. specialis, from species, form, figure, sort, from specio, to see. Hence species, primarily, is appearance, that which is presented to the eye. This word and especial are the same.]

1. Designating a species or sort. A special idea is called by the schools a species. – Watts.
2. Particular; peculiar; noting something more than ordinary. She smiles with a special grace. Our Savior is represented every where in Scripture as the special patron of the poor and afflicted. – Atterbury.
3. Appropriate; designed for a particular purpose. A private grant is made by a special act of parliament or of congress.
4. Extraordinary; uncommon. Our charities should be universal, but chiefly exercised on special opportunities. – Sprat.
5. Chief in excellence. The king hath drawn / The special head of all the land together. – Shak. Special administration, in law, is one in which the power of an administrator is limited to the administration of certain specific effects, and not the effects in general of the deceased. – Blackstone. Special bail, consists of actual sureties recognized to answer for the appearance of a person in court; as distinguished from common bail, which is nominal. – Blackstone. Special balif, is a bailif appointed by the sherif, for making arrests and serving processes. Special contract. [See Specialty.] Special demurrer, is one in which the cause of demurrer is particularly stated. Special imparlance, is one in which there is a saving of all exceptions to the writ or count, or of all exceptions whatsoever. – Blackstone. Special jury, is one which is called upon motion of either party, when the cause is supposed to require it. – Blackstone. Special matter in evidence, the particular facts in the case on which the defendant relies. Special plea, in bar, is a plea which sets forth the particular facts or reasons why the plaintif's demand should he barred, as a release, accord, &c. – Blackstone. Special property, a qualified or limited property, as the property which a man acquires in wild animals, by reclaiming them. Special session of a court, an extraordinary session; a session beyond the regular stated sessions; or in corporations and counties in England, a petty session held by a few justices for dispatching small business. – Blackstone. Special statute, is a private act of the legislature, such respects a private person or individual. Special tail, is where a gift is restrained to certain heirs of the donee's body, and does not descend to the heirs in general. – Blackstone. Special verdict, is a verdict in which the jury find the facts and state them as proved, but leave the law arising from the facts to be determined by the court. Another method of finding a special verdict, is when the jury find a verdict generally for the plaintif, but subject to the opinion of the court on a special case stated by the counsel on both sides, with regard to a matter of law. – Blackstone. Special warrant, a warrant to take a person and bring him before a particular justice who granted the warrant.