special

1 /'speSFl/ adjective

1 not ordinary or usual but different in some way and often better or more important: a special case, deserving special treatment | diabetics on a special diet | special occasion (=an important social event): I keep this suit for special occasions. | anything special spoken: Are you doing anything special for Christmas? | special edition (=a special type of car, watch etc produced only for a short time)

2 special offer a low price charged for a product for a short time: There's a special offer on this shampoo - two for the price of one.

3 particularly important to someone and deserving attention, love etc: Rob's a special friend of mine. | a wonderful teacher who made every child feel special

4 unusually good: I'd like you to try some of this whisky. It's rather special. | nothing special (=not particularly good): “What was the food like?” “Nothing special.”

5 more than usual: Take special care on the roads tonight - it's icy

—see especially 2 noun (countable usually singular)

1 something that is not usual or ordinary, and is made or done for a special purpose: a two-hour television special on famine in Africa

2 informal, especially AmE a lower price than usual for a particular product for a short period of time: The supermarket has a special on chicken. | on special: Breyer's ice cream is on special this week.

3 ScotE a type of beer