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detail
[ noun dih-teyl, dee-teyl; verb dih-teyl dee-teyl ]
noun
- an individual or minute part; an item or particular.
- particulars collectively; minutiae.
- attention to or treatment of a subject in individual or minute parts:
to postpone detail and concentrate on a subject as a whole.
- intricate, finely wrought decoration.
- Engineering. detail drawing.
- any small section of a larger structure or whole, considered as a unit.
- Military.
- an appointment or assignment, as of a small group or an officer, for a special task.
- the party or person so selected:
the kitchen detail.
- a particular assignment of duty.
- the property of an image or of a method of image production to make small, closely spaced image elements individually distinguishable.
verb (used with object)
- to relate or report with complete particulars; tell fully and distinctly.
He detailed the events leading up to the robbery.
- Military. to appoint or assign for some particular duty:
We were detailed to patrol the border.
- to provide with intricate, finely wrought decoration:
lingerie detailed with lace and embroidery.
- to thoroughly clean (a vehicle or part of a vehicle) and do minor repairs to improve its appearance:
We detail the wheels and chrome to remove the rust.
detail
/ ˈdiːteɪl /
noun
- an item or smaller part that is considered separately; particular
- an item or circumstance that is insignificant or unimportant
passengers' comfort was regarded as a detail
- treatment of or attention to items or particulars
this essay includes too much detail
- items collectively; particulars
- a small or accessory section or element in a painting, building, statue, etc, esp when considered in isolation
- military
- the act of assigning personnel for a specific duty, esp a fatigue
- the personnel selected
- the duty or assignment
- go into detailgo into detail to include all or most particulars
- in detailin detail including all or most particulars or items thoroughly
verb
- to list or relate fully
- military to select (personnel) for a specific duty
- to decorate or elaborate (carving, etc) with fine delicate drawing or designs
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Other Words From
- pre·de·tail verb (used with object)
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of detail1
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Idioms and Phrases
- in detail, item by item; with particulars:
The résumé stated his qualifications in detail.
More idioms and phrases containing detail
see in detail .Discover More
Example Sentences
It is the steady accretion of detail that may yet be the most damaging factor in the battle for British hearts and minds.
He goes into some detail into what it took to persuade voters to pass marriage equality at the ballot box in four states in 2012.
Former Texas governor Ann Richards was a big fan of the Texas Rangers, a contingent of which was her protective detail.
Every detail was not only perfect but itself a piece of art.
His detail seeking in our meetings is compulsive and a little nuts.
For every detail is so marvellously symmetrical that no one is dwarfed, no one challenges special attention.
In dramatic interpretation the voice is a much more significant feature relatively than is the detail of gesture in pantomime.
Impersonation absolutely requires the finest detail of mannerism to be represented in the action.
And I have given this tedious detail to urge and embolden others to remonstrate against it.
He simply devoured books, studying every detail of construction, and learning a great deal as to style and effect.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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