PARTICULAR


Meaning of PARTICULAR in English

I. R pə(r)ˈtikyələr, - R pəˈtikyələ(r; pärˈt-, pȧˈt-, ÷ -k(ə)l- adjective

Etymology: Middle English particuler, from Middle French, from Late Latin particularis, from Latin particula small part, particle + -aris -ar

1. : of, relating to, or being a single definite person or thing as distinguished from some or all others — opposed to general

preferred the general to the particular approach — F.W.D.Deakin

claims of the United States or any particular state — U.S. Constitution

how a particular piece of land can be put to … use — Wall Street Journal

2. obsolete : involving affecting, or belonging to a part rather than the whole of something : partial in extent : not universal

the three years drought … was but particular and left people alive — Francis Bacon

3. : of, relating to, or concerned with the separate parts of a whole ; especially : describing or setting forth the details of something : minute , precise

a particular account of the day's events

4.

a. archaic : of, relating to, or concerning a single person, class, or thing : personal , private

these domestic and particular broils are not the question — Shakespeare

b. obsolete : not occupying public office : private

5.

a. : distinctive among others of the same kind : out of the ordinary : markedly unusual : worthy of notice

the … selection was the particular gem of the evening — Douglas Watt

an attack of particular severity — New York Times

a rather particular problem because of the immense size of the timbers — London Calling

b. obsolete : noteworthy as being peculiar, singular, or eccentric

6. : constituting a unit among a number : having a separate status : considered alone : individual , separate

each particular hair to stand an end, like quills — Shakespeare

provoked by particular events in his life — T.S.Eliot

7.

a. : having the character of a particular in logic

all concrete individuals are particular and all universal individuals are abstract — Nelson Goodman

b. : affirming or denying a predicate to some part of the subject — used of a proposition in logic; opposed to universal

“some men are wise” is a particular affirmative

8.

a. archaic : markedly or especially attentive to a person : familiar in manner or behavior

never suffer this fellow to be particular with you — Henry Fielding

b. : close or intimate in personal relationship

my very particular friend — Charles Dickens

9.

a. : concerned with or attentive to details : careful , exact , precise , scrupulous

is very particular about her housekeeping

b. : nice in taste : fastidious

c. : exacting : hard to please : finicky , fussy

these bacilli are not particular in their habitats — Justina Hill

never lost patience with even the most particular customers

Synonyms: see circumstantial , nice , single , special

II. noun

( -s )

1. archaic : a separate part of a whole : a constituent element, section, or division of something

let us divide the discourse into four particulars — Robert Johnson

2.

a. : an individual fact, point, circumstance, or detail

their dissimilarity in every particular except shape and size — Scott Fitzgerald

determined that history shall not repeat itself in that melancholy particular — Dean Acheson

b. : a specific item of information : a factual detail (as of news, specifications, accounts) — usually used in plural

everybody was stirred by the news and wanted to know the particulars — H.E.Scudder

genealogical particulars and biographical details are given — British Book News

— see bill of particulars

3.

a.

(1) : an individual specific separate thing, instance, or case as distinguished from a whole class

a discussion that attempts to generalize from particulars — Harvey Breit

from moral generalities to business particulars — G.B.Shaw

(2) : an individual or a specific subclass in logic falling under some general concept or term : something that can be the subject of an atomic proposition

b. : a particular proposition in logic

4.

a. archaic : an individual or personal case, business, or interest : special concern or condition

return from the common cause to what concerns our particular — William Warburton

b. obsolete : personal profit or advantage : private interest

if the gentleman had kept all the allowance for his own particular — Edward Nicholas

5.

a. : an individual item or article

a few letters and particulars in the possession of the present writer — Richard Garnett †1906

b. obsolete : an individual person ; especially : one in private as distinguished from public life

it is the greatest interest of particulars to advance the good of the community — Roger L'Estrange

6. : a statement setting forth the details of a matter

a particular of premises

I send you the descriptive particular — Frederick North

7. : something constituting a special distinguishing characteristic or feature (as of a place) — see london particular

Synonyms: see item

- in particular

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.