Detail, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a small or subordinate particular; an item. b such a particular, considered (ironically) to be unimportant (the truth of the statement is just a detail).
2 a small items or particulars (esp. in an artistic work) regarded collectively (has an eye for detail). b the treatment of them (the detail was insufficient and unconvincing).
3 (often in pl.) a number of particulars; an aggregate of small items (filled in the details on the form).
4 a a minor decoration on a building, in a picture, etc. b a small part of a picture etc. shown alone.
5 Mil. a the distribution of orders for the day. b a small detachment of soldiers etc. for special duty.
--v.tr.
1 give particulars of (detailed the plans).
2 relate circumstantially (detailed the anecdote).
3 Mil. assign for special duty.
4 (as detailed adj.) a (of a picture, story, etc.) having many details. b itemized (a detailed list).

Idiom

go into detail give all the items or particulars. in detail item by item, minutely.

Etymology

F d{eacute}tail, d{eacute}tailler (as DE-, tailler cut, formed as TAIL(2))

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THESAURUS

Detail

KP, accredit, accuracy, add up, adduce, adjunct, age group, allocate, allot, amplify, anatomize, appoint, appropriate to, appurtenance, army, army group, article, aspect, assign, assign to, atomize, attention to detail, authorize, background, background detail, band, battalion, battery, battle group, bevy, block out, body, brigade, bunch, cabal, cadre, case, cast, cast up, catalogue, charge, charter, cipher up, circumstance, circumstantiality, circumstantiate, cite, clique, cohort, column, combat command, combat team, commission, commit, company, complement, complete, component, comprehensively, conscientiousness, consign, constituent, contents, contingent, corps, correctness, coterie, count, count up, covey, crew, criticality, criticalness, cross section, crowd, datum, decorative composition, decorative style, delegate, delicacy, delineate, depute, deputize, descant, descend to particulars, design, destine, detach, detachment, details, develop, devolute, devolve, devolve upon, dilate, division, document, dole, duty, earmark, elaborate, element, empower, enlarge, enlarge upon, enter into detail, entrust, enumerate, evolve, exactingness, exactitude, exactness, exhaustively, expand, expatiate, explicate, exquisiteness, facet, fact, faction, factor, fate, fatigue, feature, field army, field train, figure, figure up, file, finicality, finicalness, finickiness, finickingness, fixings, fleet, flying column, foil, foot up, foreground detail, form, fraction, fussiness, gang, garrison, give full particulars, give in charge, go into, group, grouping, groupment, in detail, in-group, incidental, individualize, ingredient, inside out, installment, instance, integrant, inventory, item, item by item, itemize, junta, kitchen police, labor, legion, license, list, lot, make assignments, makings, maniple, mark off, mark out for, matter, meticulousness, minor detail, minuteness, minutia, minutiae, mission, mob, motif, movement, name, national style, niceness, niceties, nicety, number, ordain, organization, ornamental motif, out-group, outfit, outline, pack, parcel, parse, part, part and parcel, particular, particularity, particularize, particularly, particularness, particulars, party, pattern, peculiarize, peer group, percentage, perfectly, period style, personalize, phalanx, platoon, point, portion, portion off, posse, post, precise, preciseness, precisianism, precision, punctiliousness, punctuality, quadrant, quarter, quota, random sample, rank, recap, recapitulate, recite, reckon up, recount, refinement, regard, regiment, rehearse, rehearse in extenso, relate, relate at large, remainder, repeated figure, reserve, resolve, respect, restrict, restrict to, rigidness, rigor, rigorousness, salon, sample, sampling, scan, schedule, schematize, score up, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, section, sector, segment, send, send out, set, set apart, set aside, set off, setting, share, specialize, specialty, specific, specifically, specifics, specify, spell out, squad, squadron, stable, stipulate, strictness, string, style, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, substantiate, subtlety, sum, sum up, summarize, summate, tabulate, tactical unit, tag, tally up, task force, team, technicalities, technicality, theme, thing, thoroughly, tot up, total, total up, tote up, touch, train, transfer, tribe, troop, troupe, unfold, unit, warrant, wing, work out

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ROGET THESAURUS

Detail

Description

VB describe, set forth, draw a picture, picture, portray, characterize, particularize, narrate, relate, recite, recount, sum up, run over, recapitulate, rehearse, fight one's battles over again, unfold a tale, tell, give an account of, render an account of, report, make a report, draw up a statement, detail, enter into particulars, enter into details, descend to particulars, descend to details, itemize.

Apportionment

VB apportion, divide, distribute, administer, dispense, billet, allot, detail, cast, share, mete, portion out, parcel out, dole out, deal, carve, allocate, ration, ration out, assign, separate, partition, assign, appropriate, appoint, come in for one's share.

Ornament

N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.

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