Adjacent Words

Particular definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PARTIC'ULAR, a. [Low L. particularis, from particula.]
1. Pertaining to a single person or thing; not general; as, this remark has a particular application.
2. Individual; noting or designating a single thing by way of distinction. Each plant has its particular nutriment. Most persons have a particular trait of character. He alludes to a particular person.
3. Noting some property or thing peculiar.
Of this prince there is little particular memory.
4. Attentive to things single or distinct; minute. I have been particular in examining the reasons of this law.
5. Single; not general.
6. Odd; singular; having something that eminently distinguishes one from others.
7. Singularly nice in taste; as a man very particular in his diet or dress.
8. Special; more than ordinary. He has brought no particular news.
9. Containing a part only; as a particular estate, precedent to the estate in remainder.
10. Holding a particular estate; as a particular tenant.
PARTIC'ULAR, n. A single instance; a single point.
I must reserve some particulars, which it is not lawful for me to reveal.
1. A distinct, separate or minute part; as, he told me all the particulars of the story.
2. An individual; a private person.
3. Private interest; as, they apply their minds to those branches of public prayer, wherein their own particular is moved. [Not in use.]
4. Private character; state of an individual.
For his particular, I will receive him gladly. [Not in use.]
5. A minute detail of things singly enumerated.
The reader has a particular of the books wherein this law was written. [Not in use.]
In particular, specially; peculiarly; distinctly.
This, in particular, happens to the lungs.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: unique or specific to a person or thing or category; "the particular demands of the job"; "has a particular preference for Chinese art"; "a peculiar bond of sympathy between them"; "an expression peculiar to Canadians"; "rights peculiar to the rich"; "the special features of a computer"; "my own special chair" [syn: particular, peculiar, special]
2: separate and distinct from others of the same group or category; "interested in one particular artist"; "a man who wishes to make a particular woman fall in love with him"
3: surpassing what is common or usual or expected; "he paid especial attention to her"; "exceptional kindness"; "a matter of particular and unusual importance"; "a special occasion"; "a special reason to confide in her"; "what's so special about the year 2000?" [syn: especial, exceptional, particular, special]
4: first and most important; "his special interest is music"; "she gets special (or particular) satisfaction from her volunteer work" [syn: particular, special]
5: exacting especially about details; "a finicky eater"; "fussy about clothes"; "very particular about how her food was prepared" [syn: finical, finicky, fussy, particular, picky]
6: providing specific details or circumstances; "a particular description of the room" n
1: a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general" [syn: particular, specific] [ant: general]
2: a small part that can be considered separately from the whole; "it was perfect in all details" [syn: detail, particular, item]
3: (logic) a proposition that asserts something about some (but not all) members of a class [syn: particular, particular proposition] [ant: universal, universal proposition]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English particuler, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin particularis, from Latin particula small part Date: 14th century 1. of, relating to, or being a single person or thing <the particular person I had in mind> 2. obsolete partial 3. of, relating to, or concerned with details <gave us a very particular account of the trip> 4. a. distinctive among other examples or cases of the same general category ; notably unusual <suffered from measles of particular severity> b. being one unit or element among others <particular incidents in a story> 5. a. denoting an individual member or subclass in logic b. affirming or denying a predicate to a part of the subject — used of a proposition in logic <“some men are wise” is a particular affirmative> 6. a. concerned over or attentive to details ; meticulous <a very particular gardener> b. nice in taste ; fastidious c. hard to please ; exacting Synonyms: see circumstantial, special II. noun Date: 15th century 1. archaic a separate part of a whole 2. a. an individual fact, point, circumstance, or detail <a hero in every particular — Ron Fimrite> b. a specific item or detail of information — usually used in plural <wanted to know all the particulars of the incident> <bill of particulars> 3. a. an individual or a specific subclass (as in logic) falling under some general concept or term b. a particular proposition in logic Synonyms: see item

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 relating to or considered as one thing or person as distinct from others; individual (in this particular instance). 2 more than is usual; special, noteworthy (took particular trouble). 3 scrupulously exact; fastidious. 4 detailed (a full and particular account). 5 Logic (of a proposition) in which something is asserted of some but not all of a class (opp. UNIVERSAL). --n. 1 a detail; an item. 2 (in pl.) points of information; a detailed account. Phrases and idioms: in particular especially, specifically. Etymology: ME f. OF particuler f. L particularis (as PARTICLE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Particular Par*tic"u*lar, a. [OE. particuler, F. particulier, L. particularis. See Particle.] 1. Relating to a part or portion of anything; concerning a part separated from the whole or from others of the class; separate; sole; single; individual; specific; as, the particular stars of a constellation. --Shak. [/Make] each particular hair to stand an end, Like quills upon the fretful porpentine. --Shak. Seken in every halk and every herne Particular sciences for to lerne. --Chaucer. 2. Of or pertaining to a single person, class, or thing; belonging to one only; not general; not common; hence, personal; peculiar; singular. ``Thine own particular wrongs.'' --Shak. Wheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth. --Bacon. 3. Separate or distinct by reason of superiority; distinguished; important; noteworthy; unusual; special; as, he brought no particular news; she was the particular belle of the party. 4. Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise; as, a full and particular account of an accident; hence, nice; fastidious; as, a man particular in his dress. 5. (Law) (a) Containing a part only; limited; as, a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder. (b) Holding a particular estate; as, a particular tenant. --Blackstone. 6. (Logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject; as, a particular proposition; -- opposed to universal: e. g. (particular affirmative) Some men are wise; (particular negative) Some men are not wise. Particular average. See under Average. Particular Baptist, one of a branch of the Baptist denomination the members of which hold the doctrine of a particular or individual election and reprobation. Particular lien (Law), a lien, or a right to retain a thing, for some charge or claim growing out of, or connected with, that particular thing. Particular redemption, the doctrine that the purpose, act, and provisions of redemption are restricted to a limited number of the human race. See Calvinism. Syn: Minute; individual; respective; appropriate; peculiar; especial; exact; specific; precise; critical; circumstantial. See Minute.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Particular Par*tic"u*lar, n. 1. A separate or distinct member of a class, or part of a whole; an individual fact, point, circumstance, detail, or item, which may be considered separately; as, the particulars of a story. Particulars which it is not lawful for me to reveal. --Bacon. It is the greatest interest of particulars to advance the good of the community. --L'Estrange. 2. Special or personal peculiarity, trait, or character; individuality; interest, etc. [Obs.] For his particular I'll receive him gladly. --Shak. If the particulars of each person be considered. --Milton. Temporal blessings, whether such as concern the public . . . or such as concern our particular. --Whole Duty of Man. 3. (Law) One of the details or items of grounds of claim; -- usually in the pl.; also, a bill of particulars; a minute account; as, a particular of premises. The reader has a particular of the books wherein this law was written. --Ayliffe. Bill of particulars. See under Bill. In particular, specially; peculiarly. ``This, in particular, happens to the lungs.'' --Blackmore. To go into particulars, to relate or describe in detail or minutely.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. You use particular to emphasize that you are talking about one thing or one kind of thing rather than other similar ones. I remembered a particular story about a postman who was a murderer... I have to know exactly why it is I'm doing a particular job. ADJ: ADJ n [emphasis] 2. If a person or thing has a particular quality or possession, it is distinct and belongs only to them. I have a particular responsibility to ensure I make the right decision... ADJ: ADJ n 3. You can use particular to emphasize that something is greater or more intense than usual. Particular emphasis will be placed on oral language training. ADJ: ADJ n [emphasis] 4. If you say that someone is particular, you mean that they choose things and do things very carefully, and are not easily satisfied. Ted was very particular about the colors he used. ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft ADJ about n 5. see also particulars 6. You use in particular to indicate that what you are saying applies especially to one thing or person. The situation in Ethiopia in particular is worrying... Why should he notice her car in particular?... = particularly PHRASE: PHR with cl/group 7. You use nothing in particular or nobody in particular to mean nothing or nobody important or special. Drew made some remarks to nobody in particular and said goodbye. PHRASE

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Especial, special, specific. 2. Individual, single, separate, distinct, special. 3. Peculiar, characteristic, distinctive. 4. Personal, private, individual, own, peculiar. 5. Notable, noteworthy, special. 6. Minute, circumstantial, precise, exact, detailed. 7. Exact, precise, nice, scrupulous, fastidious, critical, careful, strict, finical. 8. Peculiar, odd, singular, strange, notable, uncommon, marked. II. n. Instance, circumstance, detail, item, particularity, special point, feature.

Moby Thesaurus

absolute, accurate, adjunct, adoptive, adventure, appointive, appropriate, article, aspect, attentive, blow-by-blow, brass tacks, careful, case, categorical, censorious, certain, characteristic, choicy, choosing, choosy, circumstance, citation, classificational, classificatory, close, component, concrete, conscientious, constituent, contingent, correct, count, critical, cross reference, cross section, dainty, datum, defined, defining, definite, delicate, demanding, demonstration, denominative, detachment, detail, detailed, determinate, different, differential, discrete, discriminating, discriminative, distinct, distinctive, distinguished, distributional, distributive, division, divisional, divisionary, dole, eclectic, elective, electoral, element, episode, equal, esoteric, especial, especially, essential facts, essentials, even stephen, event, exact, exacting, exactly, example, exceptional, exemplification, exigent, experience, express, exquisite, extraordinary, facet, fact, factor, fastidious, fifty-fifty, fine, fine point, finical, finicking, finicky, fixed, fraction, full, fussy, half, half-and-half, halvers, hap, happening, happenstance, hypercritical, illustration, in particular, incident, incidental, individual, information, inner, installment, instance, intimate, isolated, item, itemized, lone, marked, matter, matter of fact, meticulous, minor detail, minute, minutia, minutiae, narrow, nice, notable, noteworthy, occasion, occurrence, one, only, ordinal, outstanding, painstaking, parcel, part, particular, particularized, particularly, particulars, peculiar, per capita, per head, percentage, perfectionistic, pernickety, persnickety, personal, phenomenon, picayune, picky, point, portion, precise, precisely, precisianistic, precisionistic, priggish, private, pro rata, proportional, proportionate, prorated, prudish, punctilious, punctual, puristic, puritanic, quadrant, quarter, quota, quotation, random sample, reality, reference, refined, regard, religious, remainder, remarkable, respect, respective, rigid, rigorous, sample, sampling, scrupulous, scrutinizing, section, sector, segment, selecting, selective, sensitive, separate, several, share, single, singular, sole, solipsistic, solitary, special, speciality, specially, specific, specifically, strict, subdivision, subdivisional, subgroup, subspecies, subtle, taxonomic, the concrete, the data, the details, the dope, the facts, the individual, the information, the particular, the particulars, the picture, the scoop, the score, the special, the specific, the specifics, the unique, the whole story, thing, thorough, turn of events, typal, typical, unique, unusual