particularize

English

Alternative forms

• particularise

Etymology

From particular +‎ -ize.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pəˈtɪkjʊləɹaɪz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɚˈtɪkjələɹaɪz/

Verb

particularize (third-person singular simple present particularizes, present participle particularizing, simple past and past participle particularized)

1. (transitive) To make particular, as opposed to general; to restrict to a specific or individual case, class etc.; to single out.
2. (transitive, intransitive) To be specific about (individual instances); to go into detail (about), to specify.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: , 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 3, member 1, subsection 4:

     'Tis hard I confesse, yet I have disposed of them as I could, and will descend to particularize them according to their species.

   • 1709 December 6, Francis Atterbury, A Sermon preached before the Sons of the Clergy, at their Anniversary-Meeting in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Dec 6, 1709; published in Sermons and Discourses on Several Subjects and Occasions, 8th edition, volume 2, sermon 8, 1766, pages 256–257:

     Twice we find him, not only boasting of his Parentage, as an Israelite at large, but particularizing his Descent from the Tribe of Benjamin.

   • 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 110:

     Now it is his daily work to particularize, item by item, the iniquities of the system, and the petty manifestations of the tyranny here in Arras.

3. (intransitive) To differentiate, make distinct from others.

Synonyms

• (to restrict to a specific case): set apart; see also Thesaurus:segregate
• (to go into detail): clarify, explicitize; Thesaurus:specify
• (to make distinct from others): distinguish, severalize; see also Thesaurus:differentiate