# detective work

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/detective-work
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

investigative research

## Examples

- Finding the lost keys required some detective work.
- After the computer crashed, I had to do some detective work to find which file caused the error.
- The historian spent years of careful detective work in the archives to uncover the truth behind the forgotten royal scandal.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.