Watchmaking terminology

[jms42]

I am trying to decipher the handwriting on the entry for William Hunter of 11 Holmes Buildings, Eccleston, Prescot, Lancs in the 1881 England census (schedule 90  RG11/3730). There appears to have been an enclave of watchmakers in this area of Eccleston, Prescot in the 1880s and 1890s, each specialising in making a specific watch part or involved in a specific process. I can read terms like fusee which are easy enough to find on watchmaking websites but the part he made has me beaten. I did try looking at the enumerator's handwriting elsewhere to decipher the letters. I think it may be a type of spring. In the 1891 census for John Starkey age 30 (born Prescot) of 1 Moss Street, Eccleston, Prescot (schedule 17 RG12/3016) there is a similar looking entry, though again I can't decipher the first letter - *illents spring maker.
I tried but failed to attach an image.
Help from anyone with a specialist knowledge would be appreciated.

[KGarrad]

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[jms42]

Thanks.

[ShaunJ]

Definitely begins with a D

[jms42]

 Thanks for the images. I must consult my dzughter for a technical update!
Yes that's what I thought, a D, but couldn't find any reference online to explain the meaning. I did try different spellings.

[BushInn1746]

A watch Detent maker.

Detent escapement.

Mark

Added: I'm not pushing any particular make, but this site page looks to be good at explaining the Detent and watch regulation, with moving diagrams ...

https://www.timeandwatches.com/p/the-detent-escapement-from-marine.html

2nd Addition
Another site Detent Escapement
https://watchesbysjx.com/2024/05/detent-escapement-explained.html

[BushInn1746]

Detent escapement.

Detent is from the French word détente and when pronounced some people have spelt it incorrectly.

[jms42]

Thanks very much for all that Mark. Very helpful. It certainly looks like the enumerator's attempt to write detent and I think you have found the answer. William Hunter would also have had a local St Helens accent when he pronounced it so it may well have sounded like Dittant. I never realised that 19th century watchmakers specialised in making specific parts till I trawled through these pages of the census. I did look up watchmaking on the net but didn't find anything in as much detail as you have provided. A great result. Thanks very much.