detail

de·tail

Use detail in a sentence

noun

A detail is defined as an individual fact or feature, or is a small or minor part of something, or a small group of people assigned to a specific task.
1. When you consider every aspect of a new law, this is an example of when you consider every detail.
2. When you look at a large painting and notice the tiny little hands of one of the people in the painting, this is an example of noticing the detail of the painting.
3. A small group of Secret Service agents assigned to guard the President are an example of the President's security detail.

verb

The definition of detail is to describe or give information about something, or to clean and shine all parts of an automobile.
1. When you describe your plan to a friend, this is an example of when you detail your plan.
2. Washing and waxing the dashboard of a car is an example of a step to detail a car.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Detail." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Detail.

APA Style

Detail. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Detail

detail

the act of dealing with things item by item: the detail of business
an account that gives the particulars: to go into detail
any of the small parts that go to make up something; item; particular: the details of a plan
1. any small secondary or accessory part or parts of a picture, statue, building, etc.
2. a small segment as of a painting, reproduced separately for detailed study
1. one or more soldiers, sailors, etc. chosen for a particular task
2. the task itself

Origin of detail

French détail from the verb

to give the particulars of; tell, item by item
to choose for a particular task: detail a man for sentry duty
to provide detailing for
to clean (an automotive vehicle) inside and outside, with meticulous attention to details, usually for a fee

Origin of detail

Fr détailler, to cut up, tell in particulars < dé- (L de), from + tailler, to cut: see tailor

detail Idioms

in detail

item by item; with particulars

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Detail." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Detail.

APA Style

Detail. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Detail

detail

noun

An individual part or item; a particular: discussed the details of the proposal.
Particulars considered individually and in relation to a whole: careful attention to detail.
A minor or an inconsequential item or aspect; a minutia: skipped the details to get to the main point.
A minute or thorough treatment or account: went into detail about his travels.
a. A discrete part or portion of a work, such as a painting, building, or decorative object, especially when considered in isolation.
b. A representation of such a part or portion: a detail of a Rembrandt portrait illustrating the technique of chiaroscuro.
a. A small elaborated element of a work of art, craft, or design.
b. Such elements considered together: the intricate detail of a rococo altarpiece.
c. The rendering of artistic detail: the fine detail of the painter's brushwork.
a. A group of military personnel assigned to a particular duty, usually a fatigue duty.
b. The duty assigned: garbage detail.

transitive verb

de·tailed, de·tail·ing, de·tails

To report or relate explicitly or in particulars: detailed the charges against the defendant.
To provide with artistic or decorative detail: detailed the quilt with colorful appliqué.
To assign to a particular duty: “The musicians and other non-combatants were detailed to carry the stretchers” ( Peter Cozzens )
To clean (a car interior, for example) meticulously.
To market to (a physician) the drugs sold by one's company,

Origin of detail

French détail from Old French detail a piece cut off from detaillir to cut up de- de- tailler, taillier to cut ; see tailor .

Related Forms:

de·tail′er
noun

detail

top: a painting of the Chateau of Chillon by William Baptiste Baird (1847-1899?)

bottom:a detail of the same painting

detail

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Detail." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Detail.

APA Style

Detail. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Detail

Noun

(countable and uncountable, plural details)

(countable) Something small enough to escape casual notice.
Note this fine detail in the lower left corner.
We missed several important details in the contract.
(uncountable) A profusion of details.
This etching is full of fine detail.
Something considered trivial enough to ignore.
I don't concern myself with the details of accounting.
(countable) A person's name, address and other personal information.
The arresting officer asked the suspect for his details.
(military) A temporary unit or assignment.
A part distinct from the whole.
A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present details, present participle detailing, simple past and past participle detailed)

to explain in detail
I'll detail the exact procedure to you later.
(US (?)) to clean carefully (particularly a car) (IPA: [ˈdi(ː)teɪɫ])
We need to have the minivan detailed.
(military) to assign to a particular task

Origin

French détail, from Old French detail, from detaillier, from de- + taillier (“to cut”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.