detail
/ˈdiːteɪl
/noun
1An individual fact or item: we shall consider every detail of the Bill [mass noun]: her meticulous attention to detail...
- In his call, the man described a conversation in a Totton pub between men discussing the attack and gave details of specific individuals.
- Class discussions focus on specific details, including individual words, even sounds.
- You display great attention to detail which can be considered good fortune or a curse when it comes to relationships.
Synonyms
particular, feature, characteristic, respect, ingredient, attribute, item, specific, fact, piece of information, point, factor, element, circumstance, consideration, aspect, facet, side, part, unit, component, constituent, member, accessory
1.1A less significant item or fact: he didn’t want them to get sidetracked on a detail of policy...
- Not only are the small details now significantly more vivid, but the overall levels have been adjusted as well.
- Evidently about what it is to that reporter's editor - a detail too minor to warrant correction.
- In a piece written for the New York Review of Books, James Fenton pulls Bizot up for a couple of factual mistakes, but these seem to me to be minor details.
Synonyms
unimportant point, insignificant item, trivial fact, nicety, subtlety;
triviality, technicality, minor detail, petty detail, mere detail, matter/thing of no importance, matter/thing of no consequence, trifle, fine point, incidental, non-essential, inessential, nothing;
(details) trivia, minutiae
informal deets
1.2A minor decorative feature of a building or work of art: a detail on Charlemagne’s tomb...
- But Gluck says his favorite feature is the decorative detail along the top rim of the building.
- Georgian homes are similar to Colonials, but feature richer details and ornamentation.
- The work featured medium shapes, smaller shapes and finally, decorative details.
1.3 [mass noun] The style or treatment of minor decorative features: the classical French detail of the building’s facade...
- Melville House was Fife's first mansion styled symmetrically with classical detail.
- Its monumental scale, classical detail and rational, ordered planning were hallmarks of the style.
- On the other hand, the depth and detail of the featurettes would complement a minor masterpiece.
1.4A small part of a picture that is reproduced separately for close study: detail of right eye showing marks on the lids...
- Community art initiatives in South Africa tend to always follow the cliché of painting murals or producing mosaic details.
- Update I'm adding larger images of details of the pictures.
- The catalog entries on icons are richly illustrated, including details of the larger panels.
1.5 (details) Itemized information about someone: the official asked for my father’s details...
- Detectives established addresses and other details and passed the information to British authorities.
- Several have been swiped recently by crooks hoping to glean banking details and personal information.
- Some of the papers contained highly sensitive details of informers and information supplied to Special Branch.
2A small detachment of troops or police officers given a special duty: the governor’s security detail...
- In that same year, he joined the Army MI Branch with a detail to the Infantry.
- He was hurriedly escorted from the area by his security detail and Israeli police.
- Troops should eat, play, train and even pull support details as squads, platoons and companies.
Synonyms
unit, detachment, squad, troop, contingent, outfit, task force, crew, patrol, section, formation
2.1 [often with modifier] A special duty assigned to a detachment of troops or police officers: I didn’t often get the toilet detail...
- They are the rights and duties of daily duty detail, inspection commissions, etc.
- I'm not going to stick you on dish detail or cleaning toilets.
- Some troops are on cleanup detail in parts of New Orleans the flood never touched.
Synonyms
task, job, duty, chore, charge, labour, piece of work, piece of business, assignment, function, commission, secondment, mission, engagement, occupation, undertaking, exercise, business, office, responsibility, errand
verb [with object]
1Give full information about: the report details proposals to improve public transport...
- The files hold thousands of papers which detail information such as full names, National Insurance numbers, salaries, family contact details and job descriptions.
- The needs of the school are vast and due to space restraints this reporter could not detail the full list of over-crowding issues.
- This report is intended to detail the preliminary fieldwork information found during the excavation of Agaparthea.
Synonyms
present, describe, set out, set forth, draw up, delineate, frame;
explain, expound, relate, give an account of, recount, narrate, recite, rehearse, catalogue, list, spell out, point out, itemize, enumerate, tabulate, particularize;
identify, specify, define, state, declare, announce, cite, quote, instance, mention, name, designate, be specific about
rare individuate
2 [with object and infinitive] Assign (someone) to undertake a particular task: the ships were detailed to keep watch...
- The regimental commander could detail additional soldiers if necessary.
- That part of his evidence can never go because otherwise there is no explanation for why he detailed this person.
- Another method of capturing data that has been used successfully in the past is to detail a Soldier to go around with a tabbed folder to unit members.
Synonyms
assign, allocate, appoint, delegate, commission, ordain, charge, send, post, nominate, vote, elect, adopt, co-opt, select, choose
3US Clean (a motor vehicle) thoroughly.You probably spend hours detailing your car - so how about spending a few minutes on those nails....
- Or maybe it's in the garage, spending more time than is really necessary to detail the car.
- When you're on the road today, or in a shopping mall, observe how many cars are detailed with stripes, lightning bolts or rectangles.
Phrases
(down) to the last (or final, smallest, etc.) detail
go into detail
in detail
Origin
Early 17th century (in the sense 'minor items or events regarded collectively'): from French détail (noun), détailler (verb), from dé- (expressing separation) + tailler 'to cut' (based on Latin talea 'twig, cutting').