Forms: 4 especiale, 4–7 -all(e, 5–6 especyal(l, (5 asspeciall, 5–6 asp-, espesyal(l, 6 esspecial, 6–7 aspeciall, 7 especil, -shal, -tial(l), 4– especial. [a. OF. especial (mod.F. spécial, assimilated to the L. form), ad. L. speciālis (see SPECIAL) belonging to or concerned with a particular species, special as opposed to general (in med.L. current in legal and philosophical use), f. species SPECIES. Cf. Pr., Sp. especial, It. speziale. (Lat. words with initial sp, st, sc, adopted into Fr. before 15th c. usually assumed a euphonic e.)
In OE. the word had developed the secondary sense ‘pre-eminent, important’ (for the transition cf. particular). In Eng. the two forms especial and special differ materially in use; the latter (owing perh. to its closer relation to the L. etymon) is preferred in applications arising proximately from the primary sense, while the former is chiefly confined to the derivative sense. The distinction is still more marked in the advs. especially, specially.]
1. In senses now commonly expressed by SPECIAL.
a. Special as opposed to general (arch.); also in Law † especial pleading, especial tail. † b. Particular, individual, ‘specific’ (obs.). † c. Provided for a particular purpose (obs.).
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6717. Lo heere the caas especial.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 103 b. By especial pleading he may be barred of the action that he sueth.
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. ii. 225. There is especiall Commission come from Venice.
1614. Markham, Cheap Husb., I. xi. (1668), 49. Spoyling an especial member by some strange contraction.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 26. In this case the husband hath an estate in especiall taile.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1781), I. xxvi. 189. I shall dispatch what I shall farther write … by an especial messenger.
1824. Byron, Juan, XV. xxv. And rend’ring general that which is especial.
2. Pre-eminent, exceptionally distinguished. Formerly often in phrase (my) especial friend (cf. 3). Now chiefly of feelings, qualities or attributes: Exceptional in degree. (Obs. in predicative use.)
In examples of 2 and 3 special may commonly be substituted with little change of meaning.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, ¶ 200. First schul ye clepe to youre counseil a fewe of youre frendes that ben especial.
1494. Fabyan, II. xxx. 22. He had hym in shorte whyle in especiall fauoure.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. x. (1611), 29. Causeth them to haue especiall respect in making lawes.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes, Ep. Ded. (1610). My most especiall good friend Sir Peter Manwood knight of the Bath.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 28 (1810), 34. It is one of the especialest fisher towns of this shire.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 95. And among my books is one of most especial value.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xxviii. 397. One fact of especial importance is to be borne in mind.
3. Belonging pre-eminently to a particular person or thing; pertaining chiefly to one particular case.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), II. III. vii. 152. Every passion, every vice had its especial demon.
1868. M. Pattison (title), Suggestions on Academical Organisation, with especial reference to Oxford.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 233. And I must repeat one thing which they said, for your especial benefit.
4. In especial, also rarely by especial: in particular; especially; particularly. Obs. exc. arch. (Occas. written as one word: cf. INESPECIALLY.)
c. 1390. Chaucer, Truth, 25. And in especial Drawe unto hym and pray in general.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xxi. (1869), 15. Þilke he wolde bi especial weren ministres and serueres to him.
14[?]. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 49. At thys parlament most in Asspeciall.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 20. In divers regions, and inespecialle in Fraunce and Normandie.
1477. Earl Rivers, Dictes (Caxton), 74 a. He wold haue reserued them inespeciall in his sayd dictes.
1540. Coverdale, Old Faith, Wks. (Parker Soc.), I. iii. 21. I will now speak of every word in especial.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxix. His word, which he addressed to me in especial.
1860. J. Kennedy, Swallow B., 14. In especial, I had fallen into some unseemly prejudices.
1881. S. Colvin, Life Landor, 187. Whether it was of these four dramas and of Count Julian in especial, or of all Landor’s dramatic … writings together, that [etc.].
† 5. quasi-sb. An especial point, a ‘particular.’
1633. D. Rogers, Treat. Sacraments, I. 173. In this conceive these sixe especialls … breefely. 1. The excellencie of the gift … 6. The manner of exhibiting.
† 6. quasi-adv.
1591. F. Sparry, trans. Cattan’s Geomancie, 123. It is especiall good to goe to dwell with great Princes and Lordes.
