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to underspecify

to underspecify

8.7
To give only part of the needed details so people do not know what to do
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈspɛsɪfaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : especificar de manera incompleta
  • I don't consider this an insightful question because it leaves the important issues underspecified.

Examples

  • The instructions for the project were underspecified, leaving everyone confused about their roles.

  • When the software was released, several features were underspecified, causing frustration among users.

  • However, models of speech production remain underspecified with regard to lexical stress.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Community-centered approaches are underspecified in prevention science.

    Academic text (2011)
  • But where Iser underspecified his concept of the reader, Turner consistently claims plausibility for his approach by simply including everyone.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Yet effective interventions fulfill their promise when they fit their implementation contexts, are implemented well with existing resources, and can be sustained or scaled up to new populations. Process research to inform the work that occurs before outcome evaluation and during scale-up efforts remains underspecified.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Read-alouds are often mentioned as a practice that can develop oral language and other important literacy skills, but as Teale et al. (2010) suggest, "leaving the 'how' issues underspecified while drawing conclusions about what needs to be taught" does not provide enough guidance for practitioners who seek to provide quality instruction (p. 313).

    Academic text (2013)
  • The teacher's guidelines were underspecified, making it difficult for students to understand the expectations.

Antonyms

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

118 3.5

To give clear, exact details about something

How Specified

to specify
118 3.5
to underspecify
  • Specialized
8.7

Surface Forms

underspecify infinitive
underspecified past participle
underspecifying present participle
underspecifies third person singular

Morphology

underspecify = specify (transparent) = under + specify

Formed by the productive prefix 'under-' meaning 'insufficiently' attached to 'specify', so the meaning is directly derivable as 'to specify insufficiently'.

Etymology

Underspecify joins under- meaning 'not enough' and specify (seen in specific or specification) meaning 'give details'. So to underspecify something is to give 'not enough details', which makes the result unclear.