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Thorough vs Precise - What's the difference?

thorough | precise | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between thorough and precise

is that thorough is painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail while precise is exact, accurate.

As a preposition thorough

is through.

As a noun thorough

is a furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

thorough

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) .

Alternative forms

* thoro

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail
    • The Prime Minister announced a thorough investigation into the death of a father of two in police custody.
    He is the most thorough worker I have ever seen.
    The infested house needs a thorough cleansing before it will be inhabitable.
  • utter; complete; absolute
    • It is a thorough pleasure to see him beg for mercy.
    Derived terms
    * thoroughbred * thoroughgoing * thoroughly

    Etymology 2

    A disyllabic form of (etyl) .

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (obsolete) Through.
  • * , II.xii:
    • Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry / Vnder the ship, as thorough them she went [...].
  • * 1599 , , V. i. 109:
    • You are contented to be led in triumph / Thorough the streets of Rome?

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, dialect) A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.
    • (Halliwell)

    precise

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Exact, accurate.
  • *
  • (sciences) Of experimental results, consistent, clustered close together, agreeing with each other. This does not mean that they cluster near the true, correct, or accurate value.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=76, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Snakes and ladders , passage=Risk is everywhere.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * inexact, imprecise * (consistent) inconsistent, varying

    Derived terms

    * prissy

    Anagrams

    * ----