detail
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a small part or feature of something that you might not notice at first.
n.an individual feature, fact, or item, considered separately from the whole.
Simple“The artist spent hours painting every tiny detail of the flower.”
In context“The architect's attention to detail was evident in the intricate carvings found even in the most obscure corners of the building.”
SynonymsAntonymswholegenerality - 02 A2 Elementary
n.facts about a person, like their name, address, or phone number.
n.specific items of personal information used for identification or contact.
Simple“Please leave your contact details at the front desk.”
In context“The registration form requires you to provide your personal details, including a valid passport number and a permanent residential address.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a small group of people chosen for a special job, often in the army.
n.a small detachment of troops or a specific task assigned to such a group.
Simple“He was assigned to the cleaning detail for the rest of the week.”
In context“The sergeant organized a security detail to monitor the perimeter of the camp throughout the night.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give a lot of information about something or describe it fully.
v.to provide a thorough and exhaustive account of something.
Simple“The report details all the changes we made to the project.”
In context“The witness was asked to detail the events leading up to the accident in chronological order.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
v.to give someone a specific job to do.
v.to appoint or assign someone to a specific duty or task.
Simple“Two officers were detailed to watch the back door of the building.”
In context“The manager detailed several staff members to assist with the emergency evacuation procedures during the drill.”
Usage details to third · considerable detail · include detail
Borrowed from Middle French détail, from Old French detail, from detaillier, from de- + taillier (“to cut”). Compare typologically Bulgarian подробност (podrobnost), Czech podrobnost, Russian подро́бность (podróbnostʹ) (akin to дроби́ть (drobítʹ)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.