* Thorough means complete, comprehensive, and exhaustive. It implies covering all aspects of something without leaving anything out.
* Example: A thorough investigation leaves no stone unturned.
* Precise means exact, accurate, and specific. It emphasizes the correctness and clarity of detail.
* Example: The scientist provided a precise measurement of the object's length.
Think of it this way:
* Thorough is about the breadth of your work, making sure you've covered everything.
* Precise is about the depth of your work, ensuring the accuracy of each detail.
You can be thorough but not precise, and you can be precise but not thorough.
Here are some examples:
* Thorough but not precise: A student who reads the entire textbook but doesn't understand the key concepts.
* Precise but not thorough: A scientist who focuses only on a single aspect of a problem, neglecting other relevant factors.
Therefore, while both words represent meticulousness, they are not interchangeable.