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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
special adj 1 distinct from, and usually better than, others of the same or a similar kind; exceptional • a special occasion • She was very special to him. 2 designed for a particular purpose • You can get a special program to do that. 3 not ordinary or common • special circumstances. 4 particular; great • make a special effort. noun 1 something that is special, eg an extra edition of a newspaper, etc, an extra train that is put on over and above the time-tabled ones, an item offered at a low price, a dish on a menu, etc • put on four football specials. 2 a special person, such as a member of the special police constabulary • The specials were drafted in to control the fans. specially adverb. specialness noun.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin specialis individual or particular.
specially There is often confusion between specially and especially: specially means 'for a special purpose', as in • I made this cake specially for your birthday, whereas especially means 'particularly, above all', as in • I like making cakes, especially for birthdays. You will sometimes find especially used wrongly to mean specially: • He had driven up especially to collect her. |
special adj 1 distinct from, and usually better than, others of the same or a similar kind; exceptional • a special occasion • She was very special to him. 2 designed for a particular purpose • You can get a special program to do that. 3 not ordinary or common • special circumstances. 4 particular; great • make a special effort. noun 1 something that is special, eg an extra edition of a newspaper, etc, an extra train that is put on over and above the time-tabled ones, an item offered at a low price, a dish on a menu, etc • put on four football specials. 2 a special person, such as a member of the special police constabulary • The specials were drafted in to control the fans. specially adverb. specialness noun.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin specialis individual or particular.
specially There is often confusion between specially and especially: specially means 'for a special purpose', as in • I made this cake specially for your birthday, whereas especially means 'particularly, above all', as in • I like making cakes, especially for birthdays. You will sometimes find especially used wrongly to mean specially: • He had driven up especially to collect her. |
special adj 1 distinct from, and usually better than, others of the same or a similar kind; exceptional • a special occasion • She was very special to him. 2 designed for a particular purpose • You can get a special program to do that. 3 not ordinary or common • special circumstances. 4 particular; great • make a special effort. noun 1 something that is special, eg an extra edition of a newspaper, etc, an extra train that is put on over and above the time-tabled ones, an item offered at a low price, a dish on a menu, etc • put on four football specials. 2 a special person, such as a member of the special police constabulary • The specials were drafted in to control the fans. specially adverb. specialness noun.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin specialis individual or particular.
specially There is often confusion between specially and especially: specially means 'for a special purpose', as in • I made this cake specially for your birthday, whereas especially means 'particularly, above all', as in • I like making cakes, especially for birthdays. You will sometimes find especially used wrongly to mean specially: • He had driven up especially to collect her. |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
“Chambers is the one I keep at my right hand”- Philip Pullman.
The unrivalled dictionary for word lovers, now in its 13th edition.
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The Chambers Thesaurus
The Chambers Thesaurus (4th Edition) is a veritable treasure-trove, including the greatest selection of alternative words and phrases available in an A to Z format. -
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
“Simply all you need to know about anyone” – Fay Weldon.
Thoroughly revised and updated for its 9th edition.
Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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