Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Special \Spe"cial\, a. [L. specialis, fr. species a particular
   sort, kind, or quality: cf. F. sp['e]cial. 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 (Law Dict.).

   {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 a legislature.

   {Special statute}, or {Special law}, an act of the
      legislature which has reference to a particular person,
      place, or interest; -- in distinction from a general law.
      

   {Special verdict} (Law), a special finding of the facts of
      the case, leaving to the court the application of the law
      to them. --Wharton (Law Dict.).

   Syn: Peculiar; appropriate; specific; dictinctive;
        particular; exceptional; singular. See {Peculiar}.



   Note: The constable of France was the first officer of the
         crown, and had the chief command of the army. It was
         also his duty to regulate all matters of chivalry. The
         office was suppressed in 1627. The constable, or lord
         high constable, of England, was one of the highest
         officers of the crown, commander in chief of the
         forces, and keeper of the peace of the nation. He also
         had judicial cognizance of many important matters. The
         office was as early as the Conquest, but has been
         disused (except on great and solemn occasions), since
         the attainder of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in the
         reign of Henry VIII.

   2. (Law) An officer of the peace having power as a
      conservator of the public peace, and bound to execute the
      warrants of judicial officers. --Bouvier.

   Note: In England, at the present time, the constable is a
         conservator of the peace within his district, and is
         also charged by various statutes with other duties,
         such as serving summons, precepts, warrants, etc. In
         the United States, constables are town or city officers
         of the peace, with powers similar to those of the
         constables of England. In addition to their duties as
         conservators of the peace, they are invested with
         others by statute, such as to execute civil as well as
         criminal process in certain cases, to attend courts,
         keep juries, etc. In some cities, there are officers
         called {high constables}, who act as chiefs of the
         constabulary or police force. In other cities the title
         of constable, as well as the office, is merged in that
         of the police officer.

   {High constable}, a constable having certain duties and
      powers within a hundred. [Eng.]

   {Petty constable}, a conservator of the peace within a parish
      or tithing; a tithingman. [Eng.]

   {Special constable}, a person appointed to act as constable
      of special occasions.

   {To} {overrun, or outrun}, {the constable}, to spend more
      than one's income; to get into debt. [Colloq.] --Smollett.