1603, from Fr. détail, from O.Fr. detail "small piece or quantity," from detaillier "cut in pieces," from de- "entirely" + taillier "to cut in pieces." Modern sense is from Fr. en détail "piece by piece, item by item" (as opposed to en gros), a commercial term used where we would today use retail. Military sense is 1708, from notion of "distribution in detail of the daily orders first given in general," including assignment of specific duties. The verb is from 1637.
De*tach"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detached; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaching.] [F. d['e]tacher (cf. It. distaccare, staccare); pref. d['e] (L. dis) + the root found also in E. attach. See Attach, and cf. Staccato.]1. To part; to separate or disunite; to disengage; -- the opposite of attach; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from a leader or from a party. 2. To separate for a special object or use; -- used especially in military language; as, to detach a ship from a fleet, or a company from a regiment. Syn: To separate; disunite; disengage; sever; disjoin; withdraw; draw off. See Detail.
De"tail\ (d[=e]"t[=a]l or d[-e]*t[=a]l"; 277), n. [F. d['e]tail, fr. d['e]tailler to cut in pieces, tell in detail; pref. d['e]- (L. de or dis-) + tailler to cut. See Tailor.]1. A minute portion; one of the small parts; a particular; an item; -- used chiefly in the plural; as, the details of a scheme or transaction. The details of the campaign in Italy. --Motley. 2. A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars. 3. (Mil.) The selection for a particular service of a person or a body of men; hence, the person or the body of men so selected. Detail drawing, a drawing of the full size, or on a large scale, of some part of a building, machine, etc. In detail, in subdivisions; part by part; item; circumstantially; with particularity. Syn: Account; relation; narrative; recital; explanation; narration.
De"tail\ (d[-e]*t[=a]l"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detailed (-t[=a]ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Detailing.] [Cf. F. d['e]tailler to cut up in pieces, tell in detail. See Detail, n.]1. To relate in particulars; to particularize; to report minutely and distinctly; to enumerate; to specify; as, he detailed all the facts in due order. 2. (Mil.) To tell off or appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron. Syn: Detail, Detach. Usage: Detail respect the act of individualizing the person or body that is separated; detach, the removing for the given end or object.
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Audio Help [n. di-teyl, dee-teyl; v. di-teyl] Pronunciation Key 
