spearmint /'spiamint; NAmE 'spiral-/ noun [U] a type of mint used especially in making sweets/candy and toothpaste If;       : spearmint chewing gum

P — compare peppermint(I) spec /spek/ noun, verb

• noun (BrE) a detailed description of sth, especially the design and materials needed to produce sth M : We want the machine manufactured to our own spec. fSClIc fi BftMj&ArfrJiHo — see also speci­fication, specs lETCI on 'spec (BrE, informal) when you do sth on spec, you are trying to achieve sth without organizing it in advance, but hoping you will be lucky 5#.

m verb (-CC-) [VN] (BrE) to design and make sth to a particular standard          rhe camera

is well specced at the price. & & JLffcl

JtW.

speccy = specky

spe cial 0-w /'spejl/ adj., noun

madj. 1 [usually before noun] not ordinary or usual; different from what is normal #$fcft; # £ij ft; A # # ft; .^Tr.jiKft BCd exceptional: The school will only allow this in special circumstances.      l

M       o 0 Some of the officials have special

privileges. ISf Mlf   0 There is something

special about this place.    2 more

important than others; deserving or getting more atten­tion than usual Jr ^ ft ; t#^#S ft;

What are your special interests? o

She’s a very special friend. 0

Our special guest on next week’s show will be ... ftClT I ft#i&l£^Ji o Don’t lose it—it’s special. #i]A

T ;      3 organized or intended

for a particular purpose ft; Wt'fl @ ft ft;

ft: a special event        0 These teachers need

special training.          iMo 4 used by or

intended for one particular person or group of people Afflft; %nf+*t--ft; #Wft: She has a special way of smiling.     0 He sent a special

message to the men.  5 [only

before noun] better or more than usual H£Fft; f&^hft: As an only child she got special attention. M X ® £ it, BrlUlfr^tXMo o Please take special care of it. iZ&jjUXfflo —compare especial » noun 1 something that is not usually available but is provided for a particular purpose or on one occasion UM ) ; #^^00 : an election-night special on television @ 0 The menu

changes regularly and there are daily specials to choose

from.M       M il^ *###£&&$&»

2 (informal, especially NAmE) a price for a particular product in a shop/store or restaurant that is lower than usual       There’s a special on coffee this week. AM

'special agent noun a detective who works for the federal government in the US, for example for the FBI

#1; ##

'Special Branch noun [U+sing./pl. v.] (also the 'Special Branch [sing.+sing./pl. v.]) the department of the British police force that deals with the defence of the country against political crimes and terrorism (

ft

.special ‘constable noun (in Britain) a person who is not a professional police officer but who is trained to help the police force, especially during an emergency

\mm, m < >

.special delivery noun [U] a service that delivers a letter, etc. faster than normal ( fa## ft )

.special de velopment area (also special area) noun an area of the UK for which special laws exist in order to help the economy to develop (

.special edu'cation noun [U] the education of children who have physical or learning problems         ^

.special effects noun [pi.] unusual or exciting pieces of action in films/movies or television programmes, that are created by computers or clever photography to

show things that do not normally exist or happen ( %

.special interest group (also .special interest)

noun (especially NAmE) a group of people who work together to achieve sth that they are particularly inter­ested in, especially by putting pressure on the govern­ment, etc. (

spe cial ism /'spejalizam/ noun 1 [c] an area of study or work that sb specializes in A ik ; ^      : a business

degree with a specialism in computing iHIKtjf #li£Aft j§[ ik ¥ o Dr Crane’s specialism is tropical diseases.

±ftW^$£Mr^0 2 [u] the fact of specializing in a particular subject Irik ft,

spe cial ist 0-w /-spejalist/ noun 1 a person who is an expert in a particular area of work or study ^ M : a specialist in Japanese history g A    '2 a doctor who has specialized in a

particular area of medicine f-4 G§. 4 : a cancer specialist          —compare generalist ► spe­

cialist adj. [only before noun]: specialist magazines Aik ^^0 You need some specialist advice.       ifik

A±o

spe ci al ity /.speji'aelati/ (BrE) (also special ty NAmE, BrE) noun (pi. -ies) 1 a type of food or product that a restaurant or place is famous for because it is so good #7*;     Seafood is a speciality on the island, jfy

(PMli^iift#;5^ 0 local specialities ±#7* 2 an area of work or study that sb gives most of their attention to and knows a lot about; sth that sb is good at Aik; A My speciality is international tax law. fkft AikJsllIl

specialize (BrE also -ise) /'spejalaiz/ verb [V] ~ (in sth) to become an expert in a particular area of work, study or business; to spend more time on one area of work, etc. than on others A H w ( $ M. ) ; A : He specialized in criminal law. [til A jp] 0 o Many students prefer not to specialize too soon.

o        The shop specializes in hand-made chocolates.   #ftfLtio ►spe-cial-

iza-tion, -isa tion /.speXalai'zeiJn; NAmE -la'z-/ noun

[U’ Ci

spe cialized (BrE also -ised) /'spejalaizd/ adj. de­signed or developed for a particular purpose or area of knowledge ^r$] ft; ^ik ft; ^Jv'j ft: specialized equip­ment        o specialized skills

.special 'licence noun (BrE) a licence allowing two people to get married at a time or place that is not usually allowed          ( &mmMtA'ft-ftftflt

)

special ly o-w /'spejali/ adv.

1             for a particular purpose, person, etc. irfTife;

The ring was specially made for her.

ft0 o a specially designed diet plan AN rfrJiTft t^AH o We came specially to see you.  M       0

2             (informal) more than usual or more than other things

; # ^i|; X ^ : It will be hard to work today— specially when it’s so warm and sunny outside.

IfE     0 Mo 0 7 hate homework.

Specially history, ft    o note

at especially

.special ‘needs noun [pi.] (especially BrE) needs that a person has because of mental or physical problems ( t? As£#/kMW#ft )        She teaches children with

special needs.   c^^ftJL^o

.special offer noun [C, U] a product that is sold at less than its usual price, especially in order to persuade people to buy it; the act of offering goods in this way # 1# jfr W: Shop around for special offers. £ IS 0 a special offer on perfume 0 French wine is on special offer this week.

.special 'pleading noun [U] trying to persuade sb about sth by mentioning only the arguments that support your opinion and ignoring the arguments that do not support it (      .&fttfe#gft )