Adjective

(-)

Relating to particular persons or things, each to each; particular; own.

They returned to their respective places of abode.

* {{quote-news

, year=2012 , date=August 23 , author=Alasdair Lamont , title=Hearts 0-1 Liverpool , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Adam and Novikovas swapped long-range efforts, neither of which troubled the respective keepers.}}

(obsolete) Noticing with attention; careful; wary.

* Archbishop Sandys

If you look upon the church of England with a respective eye, you can not refuse this charge.

(obsolete) Looking toward; having reference to; relative, not absolute.

the respective connections of society

(obsolete) Fitted to awaken respect.

* 1599 , , IV. iv. 192:

What should it be that he respects in her / But I can make respective in myself,

(obsolete) Rendering respect; respectful; regardful.

* Chapman

With respective shame, rose, took us by the hands.

* Lord Burleigh

With thy equals familiar, yet respective .

Adjective

(en adjective)

Out of the ordinary; odd; curious; unusual.

The sky had a peculiar appearance before the storm.

It would be rather peculiar to see a kangaroo hopping down a city street.

* 1800 , , Volume 41, page 379,

I saw nothing peculiar in his conduct, and thought that his arrangement of the ballot box was perfect.

* 2001 , Jack Schaefer, Wendell Minor, Shane ,

"Wasn't it peculiar ," I heard mother say, "How he wouldn't talk about himself?"

"Peculiar ?" said father. "Well, yes, in a way."

"Everything about him is peculiar ." Mother sounded as if she was stirred up and interested. "I never saw a man quite like him before."

* 2008', Stephen Arnott, '''''Peculiar Proverbs: Weird Words of Wisdom from Around the World .

Common or usual for a certain place or circumstance; specific or particular.

Kangaroos are peculiar to Australia.

* 1855 , ,

This philosopher found his ideas especially in all that is practical,^[29] that is, which rests upon freedom, which in its turn ranks under cognitions that are the peculiar product of reason.

*

* 1895 , , XX: Anomalous Islands: Celebes,

But of late years extensive Tertiary deposits of Miocene age have been discovered, showing that it is not a mere congeries of volcanoes; it [Iceland] is connected with the British Islands and with Greenland by seas less than 500 fathoms deep; and it possesses a few mammalia, one of which is peculiar', and at least three ' peculiar species of birds.

(dated) One's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not shared or possessed by others.

* Bible, Titus ii. 14

And purify unto himself a peculiar people.

* Hooker

hymns that Christianity hath peculiar unto itself

(dated) Particular; individual; special; appropriate.

* Milton

while each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat

* Dryden

My fate is Juno's most peculiar care.