special

   1. requiring non-standard attention or facilities

   Educational jargon which is not used for those of superior attainments. Whence special pupils who may go to special classes for remedial tuition or to special schools where those of restricted mobility may play special games, have special needs, and so on:

    Mrs Evans was attacked by the boy, a special needs pupil who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, after he was told he was not allowed to go swimming. (Daily Telegraph, 2 September 2000 — the teacher, not the pupil, was then disciplined, suspended, and prosecuted) Special care is what is given to the mentally ill: To the outside world, it advertised itself as a 'Special Care unit', but that, like so much of the language employed by the authorities, was a euphemism. To a greater or lesser extent, its inmates were insane. (McCrum, 1991)

   Poor areas are designated special areas:

    The Commissioner for what were euphemistically called the Special Areaslater known as the Distressed Areas — had resigned his post. (Deedes, 1997, writing of Britain in the 1930s) etc.

   2. British

   an ancillary and voluntary police officer

   Shortened form of special constable and without political overtones in England, Wales, and Scotland. In Northern Ireland the Specials were a paramilitary force which supported Protestant political dominance:

    Originally there had been three classes of enlistment: Class A, which involved full-time duty; Class B, involving part-time duties; and Class C, comprising volunteers who could be called up in an emergency. In 1969, only Class B — the 'B-Specials' — remained... There was not a Catholic amongst them. (Deedes, 1997, describing the Ulster Special Constabulary)

   3. nuclear

   In the jargon of the forces, special stores or weapons:

    ... a considerable number [of nuclear warheads] had been in Special Weapons Stores overrun by the offensive. (Hackett, 1978)

   4. exclusively provided for the use of senior party officials and their families

   An abuse recognized, but not eliminated, by post-Communist Russian leaders:

    We must finally eliminate the special food 'perks' for the 'starving nomenklatura', and abolish both in substance and form the word 'Spets' — special stores, special clinics, special health resorts, and so forth — since we did not have any special communists. (Gorbachev, in translation 1995, quoting Yeltsin: 'spets' were special facilities for the nomenklatura, or privileged class)

   5. involving a personal sexual relationship

   Some of us consider other friendships also as special:

    I was drinking... with Democritus — that's my friend, my special friend, you understand. (A. Massie, 1986 — he was his catamite)

   6. ruthless and not complying with normal laws