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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Detail

De-tāil', v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. DETAILED; p. pr. & vb. n. DETAILING.] [Fr. détailler, to cut up in pieces, from dé, equivalent to des, Lat. dis, and tailler, to cut; It. distagliare, Pr. tallhar, talar, Sp. tallar, talar, tajar, Pg. talhar, It. tagliare, to cut; Fr. taille, a cut, Pr. & Pg. talha, Sp. taja, It. taglia, from Lat. talea, a rod set for planting, a cutting, L. Lat. taleare, talare, to prune, cut, ravage by cutting.]

  1. To relate in particulars; to particularize; to report minutely and distinctly; to enumerate; as, he detailed all the facts in due order.
  2. (Mil.) To appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron.

Syn.—DETAIL, DETACH. Detail respects the act of individualizing the person or body that is separated; detach, the removing for the given end or object.

Dē'tāil or De-tāil', n.

noun

(114) (Synop., § 130), n. [Fr. détail, Pr. detal; Sp. detalle, It. dettaglio, from the Fr. détail. See supra.]

  1. A minute portion; a particular; — used chiefly in the plural; as, the details of a scheme; the details of a work in the fine arts. “The details of the campaign in Italy.” Motley.
  2. A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars.
  3. (Mil.) The selection for a particular service of a person or company; hence, the person or company so selected.

Details of a plan (Arch.), the parts of a plan, usually drawn on a larger scale, for the use of workmen; — called also working drawings. — In detail, in subdivisions; part by part. Syn.—Account; relation; narrative; recital; explanation; narration.