[syn: assign, specify, set apart]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Specify \Spec"i*fy\, v. t. [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.
[1913 Webster]
He has there given us an exact geography of Greece,
where the countries and the uses of their soils are
specified. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
specify
v 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, specify]
2: decide upon or fix definitely; "fix the variables"; "specify
the parameters" [syn: specify, set, determine,
define, fix, limit]
3: determine the essential quality of [syn: specify, define,
delineate, delimit, delimitate]
4: be specific about; "Could you please specify your criticism
of my paper?" [syn: specify, particularize,
particularise, specialize, specialise] [ant:
generalise, generalize]
5: define clearly; "I cannot narrow down the rules for this
game" [syn: pin down, peg down, nail down, narrow
down, narrow, specify]
6: design or destine; "She was intended to become the director"
[syn: intend, destine, designate, specify]
7: select something or someone for a specific purpose; "The
teacher assigned him to lead his classmates in the exercise"
[syn: assign, specify, set apart]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
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