Nedarim, Chapter 6, Mishnah 3. This mishnah deals with the difference between one who takes a vow forbidding a particular item using the definite article, and one who vows against that same item in a general form, without the definite article.
The wording of the mishnah and its details:
"Min hakevesh" - one who vows against pickled or preserved food using the definite article means that particular preserved food that is commonly known: "eino asur ela min hakevesh shel yarak" - he is forbidden only in pickled vegetables. But one who says "kevesh she'eini to'em", without the definite article - "asur bechol hakevashim" - he is forbidden in every kind of pickled or preserved food.
"Min hashaluk" - shaluk refers to food that has been cooked to an extreme degree, thoroughly overcooked. One who vows in this language - "eino asur ela min hashaluk shel basar" - is forbidden only in thoroughly cooked meat. But one who says "shaluk she'eini to'em" - "asur bechol hashelukim" - he is forbidden in every kind of food cooked in that manner.
"Min hatzli" - one who vows against roasted food - "eino asur ela min hatzli shel basar" - his vow takes effect only on roasted meat, these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. But one who says "tzli she'eini to'em" - "asur bechol hatzluyim" - he is forbidden in anything roasted.
"Min hamaliach" - one who vows against salted food - "eino asur ela min hamaliach shel dag" - because the term "maliach" without further specification refers to salted fish. But one who says "maliach she'eini to'em", without the definite article - "asur bechol hamaluchim" - and every salted food becomes forbidden to him.
In summary: In this mishnah we learned that the wording of the vow determines its scope. One who uses the definite article - the pickled, the thoroughly cooked, the roasted, the salted - is referring to that particular well known and common item, and his vow takes effect only on it: pickled vegetables, thoroughly cooked meat and roasted meat, and salted fish. But one who vows in a general form, without the definite article, includes in his vow every variety within that category.