detectivede‧tec‧tive /dɪˈtektɪv/ ●●○ AWL noun [countable] 
She hired a detective to find out if her husband was having an affair.3detective work efforts to discover information, find out how something works, answer a difficult question etc: It took a lot of detective work to discover the cause of the problem.4detective story/novel etc a story etc about a crime, often a murder, and a detective who tries to find out who did it
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Detectives made a TV appeal for anyone with any information about the crime to contact them.
- a private detective
- Anyone with information is being asked to call Detective Mike Place.
- I'm a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
- Form is one of the hidden assets of the detective story.
- Furthermore, the detectives are no longer in that basic symbol of police identity - the uniform.
- He was a very intelligent and perceptive young detective.
- Let me make sure I understand you, officer-mister detective.
- The customers say you'd have to be a detective to make sense of it.
- The lock snapped and the detective levered up the bottom section.
- Unless she and Mr Greenleaf decided to stay to see what the detective was going to do with him.
THESAURUSpeople in the police
(also officer) a member of the police. In British English, police officer is used especially in more formal contexts, for example in news reports. In everyday English, British people still usually say policeman or policewoman: · a senior police officer· He was sentenced to life in prison for killing a police officer.· He is the officer in charge of the case.· Officer Fayard (=in the US ‘Officer’ is used in the title of police officers)
a man who is a member of the police: · an off-duty policeman· He’s a former policeman.
a woman who is a member of the police: · The girl, accompanied by a policewoman and two social workers, was seen in private by Sheriff George Crozier.
abbreviation used in the job titles of British police officers. PC means ‘Police Constable’ and WPC means ‘Woman Police Constable’: · PC Keith Fletcher· WPC Susan Larkin
a police officer whose job is to discover who is responsible for crimes: · Detectives are investigating the death of a baby boy.· Detective Inspector John Hartwell
adjective a plain-clothes police officer wears ordinary clothes instead of a uniform: · Two plain-clothes police officers, acting as hotel security men, kept watch on him.
a British police officer of the lowest rank: · a police constable· Constable Robin Cameron
a senior police officer who is in charge of the police in a particular area in Britain: · the chief constable of North Yorkshire police
informal a police officer: · You’d better call the cops.
a US police officer in a state police force: · a New Jersey state trooper
Longman Language Activatorsomeone whose job is to find out about something someone whose job it is to find out about situations, crimes, problems etc in order to explain them: · A team of special investigators have gone to the scene of the explosion.· The investigator has concluded that they were making a false insurance claim.
someone who people pay to find out about such things as a person's disappearance, someone's secret activities etc, but who does not work for the police: · She hired a private detective to find her husband.· A private investigator had been engaged to watch Mr Hart and report on his activities.
a police officer whose job is to find out the facts about crimes and who is responsible for them: · I'm a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?· Detectives made a TV appeal for anyone with any information about the crime to contact them.
WORD SETSaccountant, nounactuary, nounadministrator, nounadviser, nounadvocate, nounamanuensis, nounarchivist, nounarmourer, nounauctioneer, nounaudiotypist, nounbackroom boy, nounbailiff, nounbaker, nounbanker, nounbarber, nounbargee, nounbarkeeper, nounbarker, nounbarmaid, nounbarman, nounbartender, nounbeachcomber, nounbeadle, nounbellboy, nounbellhop, nounbiographer, nounblacksmith, nounboatman, nounboatswain, nounbodyguard, nounboffin, nounbombardier, nounbookseller, nounboss, nounbotanist, nounbouncer, nounbreeder, nounbricklayer, nounbuckaroo, nounbuilder, nounbureaucrat, nounbutcher, nounbutler, nounbuyer, nouncabin boy, nouncabinet-maker, nouncareer counselor, nouncareers officer, nouncaretaker, nouncarpenter, nouncarter, nouncashier, nouncaterer, nounCEO, nouncertified public accountant, nounchairman, nounchambermaid, nounchandler, nounchar, nouncharlady, nouncharwoman, nounchef, nounchief executive officer, nounchief of staff, nounchildminder, nounchimney sweep, nouncleaner, nounclerk, nounclothier, nounclown, nouncoastguard, nouncobbler, nouncocktail waitress, nouncollier, nouncomedian, nouncomedienne, nouncomic, nouncommercial traveller, nouncommissionaire, nouncompositor, nounconcierge, nounconfectioner, nounconsultant, nouncook, nouncooper, nouncopy editor, nouncopywriter, nouncorrespondent, nouncostermonger, nouncounsellor, nouncourier, nouncowboy, nouncowgirl, nouncowhand, nouncowpoke, nounCPA, nouncraftsman, nouncrew, nouncrewman, nouncrofter, nouncroupier, nouncurator, nouncustodian, noundaily, noundairymaid, noundairyman, noundelivery man, noundesigner, noundesk clerk, noundetective, noundick, noundietician, noundinner lady, noundisc jockey, noundispatch rider, noundistrict nurse, noundiver, nounDJ, noundocent, noundocker, noundogcatcher, noundog warden, noundomestic, noundomestic service, noundoorkeeper, noundoorman, noundowser, noundramatist, noundraper, noundraughtsman, noundressmaker, noundriver, noundrover, noundruggist, noundustbin man, noundustman, nouneducationalist, nouneducator, nounelectrician, nounengineer, nounescort, nounessayist, nounestate agent, nounexecutive, nounfarmer, nounfarmhand, nounfarrier, nounfire chief, nounfirefighter, nounfireman, nounfirst mate, nounfirst officer, nounfishmonger, nounfitter, nounflorist, nounflower girl, nounforeman, nounforewoman, nounfrogman, nounfruiterer, nounfunctionary, nounfuneral director, nounfurrier, noungaffer, noungamekeeper, noungarbage collector, noungarbage man, noungardener, noungatekeeper, noungaucho, noungendarme, nounghost writer, nounglazier, noungoatherd, noungoldsmith, noungondolier, noungoverness, noungovernor, noungravedigger, noungreengrocer, noungrip, noungrocer, noungroom, noungroundsman, nounground staff, nounguard, nounguest worker, nounguide, noungunner, noungunsmith, nounhack, nounhandler, nounhandmaiden, nounhandyman, nounhangman, nounharvester, nounhatter, nounhawker, nounheadhunter, nounhead teacher, nounhelper, nounherald, nounherbalist, nounherdsman, nounhired hand, nounhireling, nounhistorian, nounhomemaker, nounhomeworker, nounhouse husband, nounhousewife, nouniceman, nounillustrator, nounimpersonator, nounimpresario, nounindustrialist, nouninnkeeper, nouninspector, nouninterior decorator, nouninterpreter, nouninvestigator, nounjanitor, nounjester, nounjeweller, nounjoiner, nounjourno, nounJP, nounjudge, nounkeeper, nounlamplighter, nounlandlady, nounlandlord, nounlibrarian, nounlocksmith, nounlongshoreman, nounmagician, nounmaid, nounmaid of honour, nounmaidservant, nounmail carrier, nounmailman, nounmaitre d', nounmajordomo, nounman, nounmanagement consultant, nounmanservant, nounmason, nounmasseur, nounmasseuse, nounmatador, nounmathematician, nounmechanic, nounmedic, nounmenial, adjectivemenial, nounmerchant seaman, nounmidwife, nounmilkmaid, nounmilkman, nounmilliner, nounminder, nounminer, nounminiaturist, nounminister, nounmodel, nounmortician, nounmover, nounmovie star, nounnanny, nounnavvy, nounnewscaster, nounnewsreader, nounnight porter, nounnight watchman, nounnovelist, nounnumber cruncher, nounnurse, nounnursemaid, nounnurseryman, nounnursery nurse, nounnursing, nounobstetrician, nounoccupation, nounodd-job man, nounoilman, nounold salt, nounoptician, nounostler, nounpacker, nounpaediatrician, nounpaediatrics, nounpageboy, nounpainter, nounpalmist, nounpaperboy, nounpaper girl, nounpaper-pusher, nounparachutist, nounparalegal, nounparamedic, nounpark keeper, nounparliamentarian, nounpathology, nounpawnbroker, nounpeasant, nounpedlar, nounpen pusher, nounpensioner, nounperformer, nounpersonal assistant, nounpharmacist, nounphotographer, nounpipe fitter, nounplanter, nounplasterer, nounplaywright, nounploughman, nounplumber, nounpoet, nounpolice, nounporter, nounpostman, nounpotter, nounpractitioner, nounprinter, nounprivate detective, nounprivate eye, nounprivate investigator, nounprivate practice, nounprivate secretary, nounpro, nounpro, adjectiveprobation officer, nounprofession, nounprofessional, adjectiveprofessional, nounprofessionally, adverbprogrammer, nounproperty developer, nounprostitute, nounpsychiatrist, nounpsychiatry, nounpsychoanalyst, nounpublican, nounpublic defender, nounpublicist, nounpublic prosecutor, nounpublic relations, nounpublisher, nounpurser, nounquantity surveyor, nounquestion master, nounrabbi, nounradiographer, nounradiologist, nounrag-and-bone-man, nounrancher, nounranger, nounreal estate agent, nounreceptionist, nounrecruit, nounrector, nounregistrar, nounrepo man, nounreporter, nounrestaurateur, nounretailer, nounreviewer, nounroadie, nounroad manager, nounrookie, nounroughneck, nounroustabout, nounsailor, nounsalesclerk, nounsalesgirl, nounsalesman, nounsalesperson, nounsales representative, nounsaleswoman, nounsanitation worker, nounscalper, nounschoolmaster, nounschoolmistress, nounschoolteacher, nounscout, nounscout, verbscrew, nounscribe, nounscrubber, nounsea captain, nounseaman, nounseamstress, nounsecretary, nounsecurity guard, nounsemi-professional, adjectiveservant, nounshepherd, nounshepherdess, nounship's chandler, nounshipwright, nounshoemaker, nounshopkeeper, nounsilversmith, nounsmith, nounsoldier, nounsoldier of fortune, nounspaceman, nounspiv, nounstallholder, nounstationer, nounsteeplejack, nounsteersman, nounsteno, nounstenographer, nounstevedore, nounstockbroker, nounstoker, nounstorekeeper, nounstraight man, nounstringer, nounstructural engineer, nounstylist, nounsubmariner, nounsuperintendent, nounsurveyor, nounsweep, nounswineherd, nountailor, nountanner, nountaster, nountattooist, nountaxidermist, nounteamster, nountelecommuter, nounteller, nountemp, nountemp, verbtinker, nountobacconist, nountown crier, nountrade, nountradesman, nountraffic warden, nountranslator, nountrapper, nountravel agent, nountravelling salesman, nountreasurer, nountroubleshooter, nountrucker, nounturner, nountypist, nountypographer, nounundertaker, noununderwriter, nounusher, nounusherette, nounusurer, nounvalet, nounvaluer, nounvice-president, nounvideo jockey, nounvillein, nounvintner, nounvocation, nounvocational, adjectivewaiter, nounwaitress, nounwallah, nounwarden, nounwarder, nounwasherwoman, nounwatchmaker, nounwatchman, nounweaver, nounwelder, nounwhaler, nounwheelwright, nounwindow cleaner, nounwindow dresser, nounwoodcutter, nounwoodsman, nounworkman, nounWPC, nounwrangler, nounwriter, nounyeoman, nounzoo-keeper, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a newly published science fiction novel
a newly published science fiction novel· Most detective stories are about a murder.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Should you wish advice from the world's greatest detective you may enquire for me at the Rose and Crown.· It was plain that the two great detectives were discomfited by each other's presence.· The Mystery of Morse ... Investigating the great detective.· It took no great detective work to work out where he was, however.· The two great detectives prowled up and down the village street dogged by the two official policemen.· This person claims to be a great detective and yet he has detected nothing, nothing at all.
· Private eye bin bagged A PRIVATE detective was yesterday fined £150 for stealing a national newspaper executive's rubbish.· Kinsey Millhone, leading private detective of Santa Teresa, California.· Edward is a private detective hired by an antiques dealer who asked Edward to list all of the valuables in the house.· Michael is a private detective and an aspiring writer.· In addition, data could be passed to the police, private detectives or computer database holders.· Perhaps there had once been a private detective in New York with that name.· She wondered if she should hire a private detective to find out who the girl was.· Robert Crais broke into mystery writing not by being a cop, a lawyer or a private detective.
· After Courtney's trial a senior detective revealed that Courtney had probably abused 100 other women.· Charlie - that's not his real name - was a policeman, a very senior detective.· The committee is too important to have the senior police detective interest represented on a part-time basis.
· He was a very intelligent and perceptive young detective.· Meryl followed the young detective constable to the library door with a sick feeling in her stomach.
NOUN· The victim, a detective constable, tried to arrest the accused.· The detective constable who was supposed to be guarding him was out of the ward at the time chatting up some nurses.· She harried the detective constable who was checking Christine Mills' alibis.· Meryl followed the young detective constable to the library door with a sick feeling in her stomach.· The door of the interview room swung open and a detective constable swaggered in.· Uniformed men and Wycliffe's detective constables were questioning the very few people who actually lived in the street.· A detective constable was working away in a corner.· The three of them, with four detective constables, would set the ball rolling.
· But it has been in existence for almost as long as there has been detective fiction.
· So is Joe Mantegna, as the homicide detective assigned to the case, telling her to let the law handle it.· The victim was taken to Highland Hospital, where he died about an hour later. Homicide detectives are investigating the case.· We hung out with a homicide detective, and we tried to make it realistic.· Malcolm Ainslie is a disillusioned Catholic priest turned unfaithful husband and crack Miami homicide detective.
· By 1965 things had eased, but my detective inspector still railed against my three-quarter length corduroy car-coat with its red lining.· It was with a detective inspector called Eddy Russell.
· One last observation about the detective novel.· It was limited, all gleaned from detective novels.· The same is true for the opening of the detective novel in Task 1.· How does it differ from the detective novel?· The murder helped prove a new science and became the plot in a detective novel.· But otherwise it had all the ingredients of the detective novel, down to a theme, the passion for justice.· Like the detective novel, the romance abides by a hermeneutic code, in which the outcome is always assured.· But characters will be much more present, be seen in much greater, convoluted depth even than in the detective novel.
· He was asked to wait and then shown into a room where a detective sergeant prepared to take a statement from him.· Lucky the geezer didn't know what a detective sergeant gets paid or he might have got suspicious.· Saw police detective sergeant who was very understanding.
· His father, David Ashworth, is wanted for questioning by murder squad detectives but yesterday he was still missing.· David Ashworth was being brought back to Merseyside for interview after inquiries led murder squad detectives to Newcastle-on-Tyne.· Bomb squad detectives were called when initial reports suggested animal rights campaigners were responsible.· Murder squad detectives can hold and question the boys until 7am tomorrow.· Outside London a murder squad detective might have one or two.· Murder squad detectives, led by Detective Superintendent Stan Fletcher, sealed off the area while forensic tests were carried out.· Murder squad detectives have warned that Mr Ashworth should not be approached.· Murder squad detectives were questioning four men yesterday.
· If I were a store detective, I'd never have let me out of there without a body search.· The highest award was £307,781 to a computer expert who injured his back helping a store detective stop a suspected shoplifter.· It's because of racism. Store detectives will watch a Black person more than a white person.· But one store detective isn't totally satisfied.· Later that day, a search of the vehicle confirms the store detectives suspicions.· Ian Walker, prosecuting, said a store detective spotted Melia going into a cubicle to try the jeans on.
· It was the feeling she had had as a child when she frightened herself with a detective story.· Their approach is informal and Physics of Stellar Evolution and Cosmology reads like a scientific detective story.· Elizabeth did not like detective stories, because some one was usually hanged at the end of them.· That the blueprint detective story at its most basic is not a story.· Your detective of the detective story, of course, went about seeking information.· The 1930s were the era of the detective story, and it had reached its maximum popularity with Edgar Wallace.· That may sound silly, but readers of blueprint detective stories want pure detection.
· In fact tying a pollution to its source can be a tricky piece of detective work.· The arrival of numerical grades added new twists to detective work.· Then we went up to my office to do some serious detective work.· Finding the missing parts has been a lucky blending of good fortune and good detective work.· Much slow and painstaking geological detective work is needed to make correlations such as these, but the results can be very valuable.· Then he could do his own bit of private detective work.· At the same time, the medical detective work threw up new uncertainties.· It took no great detective work to work out where he was, however.
VERB· The Classical Blueprint Let's start with the classical detective story, sometimes called the old-fashioned detective story.
· She wondered if she should hire a private detective to find out who the girl was.· He wondered if Virginia Stillman had hired another detective after he failed to get in touch with her.· You hired detectives to find me?· The police made a few routine inquiries, came up with nothing, and then suggested that she hire a private detective.
· You didn't mention that kind of thing to a detective investigating the death of a fellow club-member's wife.· Now, detectives are investigating the possibility that a fourth woman may have been slain by the retired Army sergeant.· Almost a hundred people telephoned offering help to detectives investigating the stabbing of Richard Miles.· Homicide detectives are investigating the case.· Two other people, a man and a woman, have already been arrested by detectives investigating the case.· But detectives investigating her death believe she invented the story just to get the gun to take her own life.
· Dolezal decides to play detective in a one man undercover operation, wandering naively into deathtrap after deathtrap.· The last star this hot played a pet detective.· But there's nothing wrong with playing games to ease your concern, whether it's playing detective or playing rugby.· He plays New York detective David Mitchell, a hero with 30 arrests to his credit but an aversion to killing.· Wherever she had gone, wherever she was hiding, he would have to play detective and find her.· A murder, and he wasn't even allowed to play detective.· You'd think they'd be intrigued at a chance to play detectives.· At the Tate Gallery, five to 13 year olds are encouraged to play detective to find the hidden details in paintings.
· His father, David Ashworth, is wanted for questioning by murder squad detectives but yesterday he was still missing.
· In an interview, Christopher Gore told detectives what happened next.· The boy later told detectives he meant only to scare her.· Yesterday a Durham Police spokesman said the consultant in charge of Pringle had told detectives he is to undergo further surgery next month.· She added that he had later asked her to tell detectives that he had been at home all Saturday night.· I told detectives that he had a pilot's licence and could fly himself out of the country.· Sad Joanna told detectives she dreaded the thought of eating and drinking at parties over the holiday period.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
- It takes some detective work to trace the symptom back to its cause.
- Brilliant detective work with a little luck tossed in to catch the savvy killer.
- Drawn to the subject via a footnote, McKillop did some literary detective work to uncover Deeks's story.
- Finding the missing parts has been a lucky blending of good fortune and good detective work.
- In fact tying a pollution to its source can be a tricky piece of detective work.
- It takes a bit of detective work to trace the symptom back to the cause.
- Late one night, they ran into Ken Creese, one of two detectives working the case.
- Much slow and painstaking geological detective work is needed to make correlations such as these, but the results can be very valuable.
- So it would take more years of dogged detective work by a handful of investigators to connect the dots.
- But they can also be used to play the game that is the simple blueprint detective story.
- Elizabeth did not like detective stories, because some one was usually hanged at the end of them.
- I wanted to stay and read the latest Encyclopedia Brown detective story.
- It was the feeling she had had as a child when she frightened herself with a detective story.
- Key elements are missing, primarily the complexities, surprises and textures of the detective stories.
- Their approach is informal and Physics of Stellar Evolution and Cosmology reads like a scientific detective story.
- This is the detective novel or the crime novel which makes its comments on life through humour rather than more directly.
- Your detective of the detective story, of course, went about seeking information.
WORD FAMILYnoundetectiondetectiveadjectivedetectable ≠ indetectibleverbdetect
1a police officer whose job is to discover information about crimes and catch criminals → store detective2 (also private detective) someone who is paid to discover information about someone or something: She hired a detective to find out if her husband was having an affair.3detective work efforts to discover information, find out how something works, answer a difficult question etc: It took a lot of detective work to discover the cause of the problem.4detective story/novel etc a story etc about a crime, often a murder, and a detective who tries to find out who did it- trampoline
- trampolining
- trance
- tranche
- tranny
- tranquil
- tranquillity
- tranquillize
- tranquillizer
- tranquilly
- trans-
- trans
- transact
- transaction
- Transamerica Building
- transatlantic
- transceiver
- transcend
- transcendent
- transcendental
- transcendentalism
- transcendental meditation
- transcendently
- transcontinental
- transcribe