detachment

/dɪˈtætʃmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈtætʃmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈtach-mənt dē-/ (ame, mw)

detachment — noun

  • detachmentsingular
  • detachmentsplural

1. a team of military personnel temporarily split off from a larger unit to handle

1.名詞B2
釋義

a team of military personnel temporarily split off from a larger unit to handle a special job

例句

A detachment of fifty soldiers was sent to secure the mountain pass before sunrise.

detachment of + number + noun for group size

Captain Okafor led a small detachment into the forest to scout enemy positions.

同義詞
  • unit

    a more general term; any organised military group of any size

  • squad

    a smaller group, typically 8-14 soldiers, not necessarily detached

  • contingent

    often implies a group from a different nation or organisation joining a larger force

文法句型

detachment of + number + noun

用法筆記

Commonly followed by 'of + number' to specify group size. The plural form 'detachments' refers to multiple such groups rather than multiple copies of one group.

常見錯誤

❌A detachment of soldier was sent.
✅A detachment of soldiers was sent.
💡the noun after 'of' must be plural even though the group is singular.
❌A detachment of troops were guarding the bridge.
✅A detachment of troops was guarding the bridge.
💡'detachment' is the singular subject and takes a singular verb in formal writing.

2. the ability to stay mentally apart from a situation so that personal feelings do

2.名詞B2
釋義

the ability to stay mentally apart from a situation so that personal feelings do not shape your judgment or actions

例句

The doctor examined the wound with professional detachment, showing no visible emotion.

prepositional phrase: with + (adjective) + detachment

Kwame described his own childhood with a surprising detachment, as if talking about a stranger's life.

同義詞
  • objectivity

    focuses on fairness and lack of bias rather than emotional separation

  • aloofness

    carries a more negative, unfriendly tone

  • impartiality

    emphasises fairness in judgment, not necessarily emotional distance

反義詞

文法句型

detachment + from + noun

用法筆記

The preposition 'from' introduces what one is detached from (e.g. 'detachment from daily worries'). Unlike sense 1, this sense is uncountable and describes a state or attitude rather than a physical group. May carry a positive connotation (wise objectivity) or a negative one (cold indifference) depending on context.

常見錯誤

❌He showed a detachment from the news.' (unnatural)
✅He showed detachment from the news.
💡this sense is uncountable, so no 'a' before it.
❌She had too many detachment.
✅She had too much detachment.
💡as an uncountable noun, use 'much' not 'many'.
❌Detachment of the soldiers' (when meaning emotional distance).
✅Detachment from the soldiers.
💡sense 2 takes 'from', not 'of'.

3. the process of taking something apart or releasing it from a connection it previ

3.名詞C1
釋義

the process of taking something apart or releasing it from a connection it previously had

例句

The detachment of the old engine from its metal frame took the mechanic nearly three hours.

detachment of X from Y pattern

Accidental detachment of the garden hose caused water to spray across the garage floor.

同義詞
  • separation

    more general term; can be physical or abstract

  • disconnection

    emphasises breaking a link, often used for electronic or utility connections

  • removal

    implies taking something off or out, not necessarily that it was attached

反義詞

文法句型

detachment + of + noun + from + noun

用法筆記

Frequently found in technical or procedural writing about machinery, engineering, or assembly. The noun following 'of' is the object being removed, and the noun following 'from' is the thing it is taken off. Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense describes an action or event, not a group of people.

常見錯誤

❌The detachment of the pipe of the tank.
✅The detachment of the pipe from the tank.
💡use 'from' to show what the pipe is separated from, not 'of'.
❌The detachment of the train cars.' (too vague)
✅The detachment of the train cars from the locomotive.
💡specify both the removed part and the larger object.