go into great detail
Meaning
To explain or describe something very thoroughly, including many specific facts, points, or elaborations.
Origin
The phrase "go into great detail", while seemingly a simple combination of words, gains its rich meaning from the etymology of its core. The word "detail" itself emerged from the Old French "détailler", meaning literally "to cut into pieces" or "to itemize". It entered the English language in the 17th century, carrying with it the precise sense of breaking down a subject into its constituent parts and examining each fragment meticulously. When we "go into" these great "details," we are metaphorically diving deep into the dissection of a topic, leaving no crumb unturned. It’s an everyday idiom that captures the enduring human impulse to understand things not just broadly, but minutely, painstakingly, ensuring every tiny facet is illuminated for absolute clarity.
Examples
- The witness began to go into great detail about the accident, recounting every minor observation.
- During the presentation, she decided not to go into great detail on every slide, focusing instead on the key takeaways.