Meaning & use
detail
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Meanings
nouncountable
A single piece of information, especially a small or specific one.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a detail' for one item.
Patterns
- a detail of something
- details of something
- in detail
She remembered every detail of the wedding.
The police asked him to describe the car in detail.
I can't recall the exact details of the conversation.
noununcountable
Small features or facts considered together; the fine points of something.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the quality of having many small features.
Patterns
- attention to detail
- eye for detail
- detail work
Her attention to detail makes her an excellent editor.
The painting is remarkable for its detail.
He has a good eye for detail.
verbtransitive
To give a full account of something, listing all the facts or items.
Grammar: Takes an object: detail the plan.
Patterns
- detail something
- detail how/what/where
- be detailed in something
The report details every expense from the trip.
She detailed the steps we needed to follow.
The contract details the responsibilities of both parties.
Word forms
| plural | details |
|---|---|
| third person singular | details |
| past tense | detailed |
| past participle | detailed |
| -ing form | detailing |
Common combinations
- in detail
- Please explain the process in detail.
- attention to detail
- Good proofreaders have great attention to detail.
- go into detail
- I won't go into detail about the accident.
- minor detail
- The color of the walls is a minor detail.
- personal details
- Fill in your personal details on the form.
Synonyms and how they differ
- particular
- More formal; often used in the phrase 'in particular' to single out one item.
- point
- Suggests a specific item in an argument or list, not necessarily small.
- fact
- A piece of information known to be true; detail can be any small piece, true or not.
Word family
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'in detail' (singular, no article). 'In details' is wrong because the idiom uses the singular; 'with detail' and 'by detail' are not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “detail”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.