detectives

IPA/dɪˈtek.tɪv/
KK[dɪtˈɛktɪvz]IPA/dɪˈtek.tɪv/

detectives — noun

  • detectivessingular
  • detectivesesplural

1. an officer trained to collect clues, speak with people connected to a case, and

1.名詞B1
釋義

an officer trained to collect clues, speak with people connected to a case, and determine who committed the illegal act

例句

The detective interviewed three witnesses about the car theft that happened last Tuesday.

adjective + detective for describing a type of detective

Minh worked as a detective for twelve years before retiring to write mystery novels.

work as a detective — standard role expression

同義詞
  • investigator

    a person who examines a crime or situation in detail; broader and more formal than 'detective'

  • sleuth

    an informal or literary word for a detective, especially one who solves crimes through careful thinking

  • inspector

    a higher-ranking police officer who oversees investigations; also a specific rank in some police forces

文法句型

detective + verb

adjective + detective

用法筆記

A detective is usually a member of the police force, but the word also refers to private investigators who are not police officers. In informal British English, 'detective' can be shortened to 'detect' (e.g. 'a private detect').

常見錯誤

❌Detective works are exciting.
✅Detective work is exciting.
💡'Work' is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
❌The detective arrested the man.
✅The detective caught the man.
💡In many police systems, detectives gather evidence and identify suspects, while uniformed officers typically make arrests.

2. a word placed before certain rank names in the police hierarchy to show that the

2.名詞B2
釋義

a word placed before certain rank names in the police hierarchy to show that the officer handles investigative cases rather than uniformed patrol duties

例句

Detective Sergeant Reuben Chen spoke to the reporters outside the courthouse this morning.

title structure: Detective + Rank + Name

The promotion to detective constable meant more responsibility for Tendai at the station.

同義詞
  • investigator

    a general term for someone who examines crimes; not a specific police rank

文法句型

Detective + Rank + Name

用法筆記

This sense only applies when 'detective' is used before another rank name (e.g. Detective Sergeant, Detective Inspector). The exact ranks vary by country; British police use Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant, Detective Inspector, and Detective Chief Inspector, while US police use titles like Detective First Grade or simply 'Detective' as a rank itself.

常見錯誤

❌He is a detective sergeant.
✅He is a Detective Sergeant.' or 'He is a detective sergeant.
💡When used as a formal title before a name, capitalise both words (e.g. Detective Sergeant Chen). When used generically, lowercase is fine.

detectives — adjective