Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Detect \De*tect"\ (d[-e]*t[e^]kt"), a. [L. detectus, p. p. of
   detegere to uncover, detect; de + tegere to cover. See
   {Tegument}.]
   Detected. [Obs.] --Fabyan.

Detect \De*tect"\ (d[-e]*t[e^]kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   {Detected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Detecting}.]
   1. To uncover; to discover; to find out; to bring to light;
      as, to detect a crime or a criminal; to detect a mistake
      in an account.

            Plain good intention . . . is as easily discovered
            at the first view, as fraud is surely detected at
            last.                                 --Burke.

            Like following life through creatures you dissect,
            You lose it in the moment you detect. --Pope.

   2. To inform against; to accuse. [Obs.]

            He was untruly judged to have preached such articles
            as he was detected of.                --Sir T. More.

   Syn: To discover; find out; lay bare; expose.

Source : WordNet®

detect
     v : discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of;
         "She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water";
         "We found traces of lead in the paint" [syn: {observe}, {find},
          {discover}, {notice}]