General vs. Specific
Generaladjective
Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to specific or particular.
Generaladjective
Applied to a person (as a postmodifier or a normal preceding adjective) to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles, and later in other terms; pre-eminent.
Generaladjective
Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.
Generaladjective
Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category.
Generaladjective
Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
Generaladjective
Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area.
Generalnoun
A general fact or proposition; a generality.
Generalnoun
(military ranks) The holder of a senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces.
Generalnoun
A great strategist or tactician.
Generalnoun
(Christianity) The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits.
Generalnoun
(nautical) A commander of naval forces; an admiral.
Generalnoun
A general servant; a maid with no specific duties.
Generalnoun
A general anesthetic; general anesthesia.
Generalnoun
(insurance) The general insurance industry.
Generaladjective
Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.
Generaladjective
Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.
Generaladjective
Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.
Generaladjective
Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.
Generaladjective
Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire.
Generaladjective
As a whole; in gross; for the most part.
Generaladjective
Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.
Generalnoun
The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; - opposed to particular.
Generalnoun
One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest military rank next below field marshal.
Generalnoun
The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general.
Generalnoun
The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule.
Generalnoun
The public; the people; the vulgar.
Generalnoun
a general officer of the highest rank
Generalnoun
the head of a religious order or congregation
Generalnoun
a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular);
Generalverb
command as a general;
Generaladjective
applying to all or most members of a category or group;
Generaladjective
not specialized or limited to one class of things;
Generaladjective
of national scope;
Generaladjective
prevailing among and common to the general public;
Generaladjective
affecting the entire body;
Generaladjective
somewhat indefinite;
Generaladjective
of worldwide scope or applicability;
Generaladjective
affecting or concerning all or most people or things; widespread
Generaladjective
not specialized or limited in range of subject, application, activity, etc.
Generaladjective
(of a rule, principle, etc.) true for all or most cases.
Generaladjective
normal or usual
Generaladjective
considering or including only the main features or elements of something; not exact or detailed
Generaladjective
chief or principal
Generalnoun
a commander of an army, or an army officer of very high rank.
Generalnoun
a high rank of officer in the army and in the US air force, above lieutenant general and below field marshal, general of the army, or general of the air force.
Generalnoun
short for lieutenant general or major general
Generalnoun
the head of a religious order organized on quasi-military lines, e.g. the Jesuits, the Dominicans, or the Salvation Army.
Generalnoun
the general public.
Specificadjective
explicit or definite
Specificadjective
(sciences) Pertaining to a species.
Specificadjective
(taxonomy) pertaining to a taxon at the rank of species
Specificadjective
special, distinctive or unique
Specificadjective
intended for, or applying to, a particular thing
Specificadjective
being a remedy for a particular disease
Specificadjective
(immunology) limited to a particular antibody or antigen
Specificadjective
(physics) of a value divided by mass (e.g. specific orbital energy)
Specificadjective
(physics) similarly referring to a value divided by any measure which acts to standardize it (e.g. thrust specific fuel consumption, referring to fuel consumption divided by thrust)
Specificadjective
(physics) a measure compared with a standard reference value by division, to produce a ratio without unit or dimension (e.g. specific refractive index is a pure number, and is relative to that of air)
Specificnoun
A distinguishing attribute or quality.
Specificnoun
A remedy for a specific disease or condition.
Specificnoun
Specification
Specificnoun
(in the plural) The details; particulars.
Specificadjective
Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property or properties of a thing which constitute its species, and distinguish it from other things; as, the specific form of an animal or a plant; the specific qualities of a drug; the specific distinction between virtue and vice.
Specificadjective
Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited; precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.
Specificadjective
Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaptation, and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
Specificnoun
A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3.
Specificnoun
Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which it is applied.
Specificnoun
a fact about some part (as opposed to general);
Specificnoun
a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease;
Specificadjective
(sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique;
Specificadjective
stated explicitly or in detail;
Specificadjective
relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species;
Specificadjective
being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides;
Specificadjective
clearly defined or identified
Specificadjective
precise and clear in making statements or issuing instructions
Specificadjective
belonging or relating uniquely to a particular subject
Specificadjective
relating to species or a species
Specificadjective
(of a duty or a tax) levied at a fixed rate per physical unit of the thing taxed, regardless of its price.
Specificadjective
of or denoting a number equal to the ratio of the value of some property of a given substance to the value of the same property of some other substance used as a reference, such as water, or of a vacuum, under equivalent conditions
Specificadjective
of or denoting a physical quantity expressed in terms of a unit mass, volume, or other measure, in order to give a value independent of the properties or scale of the particular system studied
Specificnoun
a medicine or remedy effective in treating a particular disease or part of the body
Specificnoun
a precise detail
