Detect

de-tekt′, v.t. ( lit. ) to uncover—hence to discover: to find out.— adjs. Detect′able , Detect′ible .— ns. Detect′er , -or , one who detects: an apparatus for detecting something, as a detector-lock, which shows if it has been tampered with; Detec′tion , discovery of something hidden: state of being found out.— adj. Detect′ive , employed in detecting.— n. a policeman employed in the investigation of special cases of crime, or in watching special cla es of wrong-doers, usually not in uniform.— Private detective , one employed by a private person to gain information, or to watch his interests. [L. detectum , detegĕre — de , neg., and tegĕre , tectum , to cover.]