0
Mr. Tom Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

Detail as a verb

Hi

Do we use "detail" as a verb in everyday English?

Can you detail the incident/event/program/accident for me?

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

I don't think it's used a huge amount in everyday conversation. I guess I might say it once in a long while. It's OK to use in writing.

— GPY

  • I don't think it's used a huge amount in everyday conversation.
  • I guess I might say it once in a long while.
  • It's OK to use in writing.
  • However, some of your combinations do not sound great to my ear, and feel a bit like awkward officialese.
  • ", for example.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
I don't think it's used a huge amount in everyday conversation. I guess I might say it once in a long while. It's OK to use in writing. However, some of your combinations do not sound great to my ear, and feel a bit like awkward officialese. I don't think I would ever say "Can you detail the accident for me?", for example. I would tend to use it more with nouns that describe a sequence of things,
0
0
Mr. TomDo we use "detail" as a verb in everyday English?
No, not the way you're using it. However, "to detail a car" has been used for the last 20 years or so in everyday English in the U.S.

https://www.google.com/#q=%22to+detail+a+car%22

CJ
0
0
CalifJimNo, not the way you're using it.
It's not hard to find examples on the Web of usages like "He detailed the incident" etc., so depending on your exact definition of "everyday English", I'm not sure I agree with this. As I mentioned, I don't think it's great English, but it certainly exists.
0
0
GPYdepending on your exact definition of "everyday English"
The English I use and/or hear in daily conversation with everybody and anybody I come in contact with.
I'm not including written English.

CJ
0

Related Questions