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Webster 1913 Edition

Particular

Par-tic′u-lar

,
Adj.
[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.
Shakespeare
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
.

Par-tic′u-lar

,
Noun.
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.
Shakespeare
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; specifically; peculiarly; particularly; especially.
“This, in particular, happens to the lungs.”
Blackmore.
–
To go into particulars
,
to relate or describe in detail or minutely.

Webster 1828 Edition

Particular

PARTIC'ULAR

,
Adj.
[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

,
Noun.
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.

Definition 2024

particular

particular

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

particular ‎(comparative more particular, superlative most particular) (also non-comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Pertaining only to a part of something; partial.
  2. Specific; discrete; concrete.
    I couldn't find the particular model you asked for, but I hope this one will do.
    We knew it was named after John Smith, but nobody knows which particular John Smith.
    • Shakespeare
      [Make] each particular hair to stand an end, / Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.
  3. Specialised; characteristic of a specific person or thing.
    I don't appreciate your particular brand of cynicism.
    • Francis Bacon
      wheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth
  4. (obsolete) Known only to an individual person or group; confidential.
    • 1623, William Shakespeare, King Lear, V.1:
      or these domesticke and particular broiles, Are not the question heere.
  5. Distinguished in some way; special (often in negative constructions).
    My five favorite places are, in no particular order, New York, Chicago, Paris, San Francisco and London.
    I didn't have any particular interest in the book.
    He brought no particular news.
    She was the particular belle of the party.
  6. (comparable) Of a person, concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; precise; fastidious.
    He is very particular about his food and if it isn't cooked to perfection he will send it back.
    Women are more particular about their appearance.
  7. Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise.
    a full and particular account of an accident
  8. (law) Containing a part only; limited.
    a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder
  9. (law) Holding a particular estate.
    a particular tenant
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Blackstone to this entry?)
  10. (logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject.
    a particular proposition, opposed to "universal", e.g. (particular affirmative) "Some men are wise"; (particular negative) "Some men are not wise".

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:fastidious

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • particular in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Noun

particular ‎(plural particulars)

  1. A small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point. [from 15th c.]
  2. (obsolete) A person's own individual case. [16th-19th c.]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.16:
      Since philosophy could never find any way for tranquillity that might be generally good, let every man in his particular seeke for it.
    • Whole Duty of Man
      temporal blessings, whether such as concern the public […] or such as concern our particular
  3. (now philosophy, chiefly in plural) A particular case; an individual thing as opposed to a whole class. (Opposed to generals, universals.) [from 17th c.]
    • 1912, Bertrand Russel, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapter 9:
      When we examine common words, we find that, broadly speaking, proper names stand for particulars, while other substantives, adjectives, prepositions, and verbs stand for universals.

Related terms

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: walked · office · government · #594: particular · charge · church · paper

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin particularis.

Adjective

particular m, f ‎(masculine and feminine plural particulars)

  1. private
  2. particular

Related terms

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin particulāris.

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /pɐɾ.ti.ku.ˈlaɾ/
  • Hyphenation: par‧ti‧cu‧lar

Adjective

particular m, f ‎(plural particulares, comparable)

  1. private
    • 2003, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Rocco, page 400:
      Não devia estar num quarto particular?
      Shouldn't he be in a private room?

Inflection

Related terms

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin particulāris.

Adjective

particular m, f ‎(plural particulares)

  1. specific, particular
  2. personal
  3. private

Related terms

Etymology

Borrowing from Anglo-Norman particuler, Middle French particuler, particulier, from Late Latin particularis ‎(“partial; separate, individual”), from Latin particula ‎(“(small) part”). Compare particle.

Pronunciation

  • (rhotic) IPA(key): /pɚˈtɪkjəlɚ/
  • (non-rhotic) IPA(key): /pəˈtɪkjələ/
  • (US, rhotic, r-dissimilation) IPA(key): /pəˈtɪkjəlɚ/

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