arbitrary detail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "arbitrary detail" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a piece of information or a characteristic that seems random or not essential to the main point being discussed. Example: "The report included several arbitrary details that did not contribute to the overall analysis."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The first chapter, set in the novel's present day of 1980, proceeds with wilful leisure, alighting here and there on arbitrary detail.

The Guardian - Books

People stepped through the familiar choreography of the art museum: lean in to look for explanatory wall text; when you don't find it, elegantly shift your lean toward the painting to scrutinize some arbitrary detail.

The New Yorker

Consequently the behaviour of an arbitrary detail can be estimated by scaling the behaviour of the reference detail up or down using a constant value.

Building and Environment

The CityEngine (Figure 1) is a tool that allows for efficient modeling of 3D scenes at large scale and in arbitrary detail while retaining the flexibility to adapt the model at hand for future changes as knowledge about a site gets refined (for example, as an excavation campaign progresses).

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Prochnik provides fascinating, if occasionally arbitrary, details of the historical and social context ("In a typical American meal circa 1909, starch was king"), but his narrative is strongest when it depicts Freud outside his element — trying to play his first game of tetherball, struggling amid campers who hike, sing, and play dress-up games at dinner.

The New Yorker

This approach is necessary because all available data are needed right from the start to enable the user to switch rapidly between a coarse overview and focus of arbitrary details.

Bioinformatics

Freud, however, shows a way to assimilate the most contingent and arbitrary mimetic details into the realm of meaning.

The New York Times - Books

It is unexpected, virtuosic, funny, arbitrary, subtle, detailed, poetic.

The New York Times - Arts

In 2000 Gladwell released his first book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, which contends that social epidemics result from a combination of seemingly arbitrary contextual details and the actions of a few key types of people.

Encyclopedia Britannica

We shall say that Q is a causal operator, or nonanticipative, if the following property holds: for each couple of elements of E such that (u(s) = v s)) for (0leq s leq t), there are the results ((Qu)(s) = (Qv)(s)) for (0 leq s leq t) with (t < T) arbitrary; for details, see [1].

Advances in Difference Equations

One of the advantages of such technique is that it can incorporate an arbitrary amount of detail necessary to describe real wireless infrastructure systems.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "arbitrary detail", ensure that it accurately reflects the idea of a detail that is random, not based on reason, or chosen without any specific plan or system. Using it correctly enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "arbitrary detail" when you mean the detail is simply unimportant or insignificant. "Arbitrary" suggests a lack of inherent reason or system, not necessarily a lack of importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "arbitrary detail" typically functions as a noun phrase, where "arbitrary" modifies the noun "detail". It serves to characterize the nature of the detail being discussed. As Ludwig AI explains, it indicates that the specific detail is random or chosen without a specific reason.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "arbitrary detail" is a phrase used to describe information that appears random, chosen without reason, or lacking inherent significance. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable in English. While grammatically sound, the phrase is relatively rare. It's primarily encountered in scientific and news contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure it genuinely reflects randomness rather than mere unimportance. Alternatives like "random detail" or "unnecessary detail" can provide suitable substitutes depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

random specification

Focuses on the randomness of the specification rather than the detail itself.

unnecessary particular

Highlights the lack of necessity rather than the arbitrariness.

irrelevant element

Emphasizes the lack of relevance of the element.

incidental item

Suggests the item is of minor importance and occurs by chance.

non-essential aspect

Underscores that the aspect is not crucial or required.

extraneous fact

Highlights that the fact is not essential and is unrelated.

chance occurrence

Shifts the focus to the random nature of the event instead of a specific detail.

unrelated matter

Focuses on the lack of connection to the main subject.

gratuitous component

Emphasizes that the component is unnecessary and freely given.

pointless inclusion

Indicates that the inclusion serves no purpose.

FAQs

How can I use "arbitrary detail" in a sentence?

You can use "arbitrary detail" to describe information that seems random or not essential. For example, "The report included several "arbitrary details" that did not contribute to the overall analysis."

What are some alternatives to using "arbitrary detail"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "random detail" or "unnecessary detail".

What does "arbitrary" mean in the context of "arbitrary detail"?

In this context, "arbitrary" means something determined by chance, whim, or impulse, rather than by reason or necessity.

Is it correct to say "arbitrary details" instead of "arbitrary detail"?

Yes, "arbitrary details" is the plural form and is perfectly acceptable when referring to multiple details.