[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/detecting/)

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# detecting

verb form of detect (detect, detects, detected, detecting); noun (detecting, as in metal detecting)

«detecting» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Detecting is the -ing form of «detect»: noticing or discovering something that is hard to see, hear or find. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#m1)
2. Detecting is also finding things, especially with a special machine (metal detecting) or by investigating like a detective. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science, instruments are used for detecting heat, light, sound, gases or movement; a smoke alarm is a device for detecting smoke. In stories, detectives are detecting clues to solve a mystery. As a hobby, people go metal detecting on beaches. Phrases: detecting clues, metal detecting, detecting smoke.

### Examples

- A smoke alarm is good at detecting smoke early. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x1)
- The dog is detecting the smell of food in the bag. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x2)
- Bats find insects by detecting echoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x3)
- Grandpa goes metal detecting on the beach. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x4)
- The detective was busy detecting clues. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x5)
- Our eyes are detecting light all the time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x6)
- Doctors use scans for detecting illnesses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/#x7)

### Note

Verb: detect, detected, detecting. Nouns: detection, detector, detective. «Detect» is more formal than «notice» or «find».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «detecting» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detecting/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«detecting» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/detecting.html) on Mova free.