n. /di tayl", dee"tayl/ ; v. /di tayl"/ , n.
1. an individual or minute part; an item or particular.
2. particulars collectively; minutiae.
3. attention to or treatment of a subject in individual or minute parts: to postpone detail and concentrate on a subject as a whole.
4. intricate, finely wrought decoration.
5. Engin. See detail drawing .
6. any small section of a larger structure or whole, considered as a unit.
7. Mil.
a. an appointment or assignment, as of a small group or an officer, for a special task.
b. the party or person so selected: the kitchen detail.
c. a particular assignment of duty.
8. the property of an image or of a method of image production to make small, closely spaced image elements individually distinguishable.
9. in detail , item by item; with particulars: The résumé stated his qualifications in detail.
v.t.
10. to relate or report with complete particulars; tell fully and distinctly.
11. to mention one by one; specify; list: He detailed the events leading up to the robbery.
12. Mil. to appoint or assign for some particular duty: We were detailed to patrol the border.
13. to provide with intricate, finely wrought decoration: lingerie detailed with lace and embroidery.
[ 1595-1605; détail, OF, n. deriv. of detailler to cut in pieces, equiv. to de- DIS- 1 + tailler to cut taliare; see TAILOR ]
Syn. 11. itemize, enumerate, catalog.