detect

Everyday

1. To notice or discover something that is hard to see, hear or smell. tree →
2. To find something using a special tool or test (detect smoke, detect metal). tree →

In the lessons

In science: instruments detect things we can't sense (radiation, sound waves); our senses detect light and sound. In safety: smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms detect danger. In stories: detectives detect clues.

Examples

• The smoke alarm detected the burnt toast. tree →
• Dogs can detect smells we can't. tree →
• Scientists detected water on Mars. tree →
• I detected a hint of sadness in his voice. tree →
• The scanner detects metal in bags. tree →
• Bats detect insects using echoes. tree →
• The Sultan could not detect any difference between them, and he told his aunt that he would not be so cruel as to kill all three. tree →

Note

Nouns: detector (machine), detective (person), detection (the act). Check smoke detectors work by pressing the test button.