diff --git a/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/core_commands/describe.rs b/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/core_commands/describe.rs
index 48b04cd9a..a3803a596 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/core_commands/describe.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/core_commands/describe.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 use nu_protocol::ast::Call;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack, StateWorkingSet};
 use nu_protocol::{
-    Category, Example, IntoPipelineData, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, Type, Value,
+    record, Category, Example, IntoPipelineData, PipelineData, PipelineMetadata, Record,
+    ShellError, Signature, Type, Value,
 };
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -18,12 +19,21 @@ impl Command for Describe {
 
     fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
         Signature::build("describe")
-            .input_output_types(vec![(Type::Any, Type::String)])
+            .input_output_types(vec![
+                (Type::Any, Type::String),
+                (Type::Any, Type::Record(vec![])),
+            ])
             .switch(
                 "no-collect",
                 "do not collect streams of structured data",
                 Some('n'),
             )
+            .switch(
+                "detailed",
+                "show detailed information about the value",
+                Some('d'),
+            )
+            .switch("collect-lazyrecords", "collect lazy records", Some('l'))
             .category(Category::Core)
     }
 
@@ -33,12 +43,12 @@ impl Command for Describe {
 
     fn run(
         &self,
-        _engine_state: &EngineState,
+        engine_state: &EngineState,
         _stack: &mut Stack,
         call: &Call,
         input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
-        run(call, input)
+        run(Some(engine_state), call, input)
     }
 
     fn run_const(
@@ -47,7 +57,7 @@ impl Command for Describe {
         call: &Call,
         input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
-        run(call, input)
+        run(None, call, input)
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
@@ -57,7 +67,60 @@ impl Command for Describe {
                 example: "'hello' | describe",
                 result: Some(Value::test_string("string")),
             },
+            Example {
+                description: "Describe the type of a record in a detailed way",
+                example:
+                    "{shell:'true', uwu:true, features: {bugs:false, multiplatform:true, speed: 10}, fib: [1 1 2 3 5 8], on_save: {|x| print $'Saving ($x)'}, first_commit: 2019-05-10, my_duration: (4min + 20sec)} | describe -d",
+                result: Some(Value::test_record(record!(
+                    "type" => Value::test_string("record"),
+                    "lazy" => Value::test_bool(false),
+                    "columns" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                        "shell" => Value::test_string("string"),
+                        "uwu" => Value::test_string("bool"),
+                        "features" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                            "type" => Value::test_string("record"),
+                            "lazy" => Value::test_bool(false),
+                            "columns" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                                "bugs" => Value::test_string("bool"),
+                                "multiplatform" => Value::test_string("bool"),
+                                "speed" => Value::test_string("int"),
+                            )),
+                        )),
+                        "fib" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                            "type" => Value::test_string("list"),
+                            "length" => Value::test_int(6),
+                            "values" => Value::test_list(vec![
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                                Value::test_string("int"),
+                           ]),
+                        )),
+                        "on_save" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                            "type" => Value::test_string("closure"),
+                            "signature" => Value::test_record(record!(
+                                "name" => Value::test_string(""),
+                                "category" => Value::test_string("default"),
+                            )),
+                        )),
+                        "first_commit" => Value::test_string("date"),
+                        "my_duration" => Value::test_string("duration"),
+                    )),
+                ))),
+            },
+            // TODO: Uncomment these tests when/if we allow external commands in examples.
             /*
+            Example {
+                description: "Describe the type of a stream with detailed information",
+                example: "[1 2 3] | each {|i| $i} | describe -d",
+                result: Some(Value::test_record(record!(
+                    "type" => Value::test_string("stream"),
+                    "origin" => Value::test_string("nushell"),
+                    "subtype" => Value::test_string("int"),
+                ))),
+            },
             Example {
                 description: "Describe a stream of data, collecting it first",
                 example: "[1 2 3] | each {|i| $i} | describe",
@@ -77,16 +140,90 @@ impl Command for Describe {
     }
 }
 
-fn run(call: &Call, input: PipelineData) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
+fn run(
+    engine_state: Option<&EngineState>,
+    call: &Call,
+    input: PipelineData,
+) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
+    let metadata = input.metadata().clone();
+
     let head = call.head;
 
     let no_collect: bool = call.has_flag("no-collect");
+    let detailed = call.has_flag("detailed");
 
-    let description = match input {
-        PipelineData::ExternalStream { .. } => "raw input".into(),
+    let description: Value = match input {
+        PipelineData::ExternalStream {
+            ref stdout,
+            ref stderr,
+            ref exit_code,
+            ..
+        } => {
+            if detailed {
+                Value::record(
+                    record!(
+                        "type" => Value::string("stream", head),
+                        "origin" => Value::string("external", head),
+                        "stdout" => match stdout {
+                            Some(_) => Value::record(
+                                    record!(
+                                        "type" => Value::string("stream", head),
+                                        "origin" => Value::string("external", head),
+                                        "subtype" => Value::string("any", head),
+                                    ),
+                                    head,
+                                ),
+                            None => Value::nothing(head),
+                        },
+                        "stderr" => match stderr {
+                            Some(_) => Value::record(
+                                    record!(
+                                        "type" => Value::string("stream", head),
+                                        "origin" => Value::string("external", head),
+                                        "subtype" => Value::string("any", head),
+                                    ),
+                                    head,
+                                ),
+                            None => Value::nothing(head),
+                        },
+                        "exit_code" => match exit_code {
+                            Some(_) => Value::record(
+                                    record!(
+                                        "type" => Value::string("stream", head),
+                                        "origin" => Value::string("external", head),
+                                        "subtype" => Value::string("int", head),
+                                    ),
+                                    head,
+                                ),
+                            None => Value::nothing(head),
+                        },
+                        "metadata" => metadata_to_value(metadata, head),
+                    ),
+                    head,
+                )
+            } else {
+                Value::string("raw input", head)
+            }
+        }
         PipelineData::ListStream(_, _) => {
-            if no_collect {
-                "stream".into()
+            if detailed {
+                Value::record(
+                    record!(
+                        "type" => Value::string("stream", head),
+                        "origin" => Value::string("nushell", head),
+                        "subtype" => {
+                           if no_collect {
+                            Value::string("any", head)
+                           } else {
+                            describe_value(input.into_value(head), head, engine_state, call)?
+                           }
+                        },
+                        "metadata" => metadata_to_value(metadata, head),
+                    ),
+                    head,
+                )
+            } else if no_collect {
+                Value::string("stream", head)
             } else {
                 let value = input.into_value(head);
                 let base_description = match value {
@@ -94,19 +231,190 @@ fn run(call: &Call, input: PipelineData) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
                     _ => value.get_type().to_string(),
                 };
 
-                format!("{base_description} (stream)")
+                Value::string(format!("{} (stream)", base_description), head)
             }
         }
         _ => {
             let value = input.into_value(head);
-            match value {
-                Value::CustomValue { val, .. } => val.value_string(),
-                _ => value.get_type().to_string(),
+            if !detailed {
+                match value {
+                    Value::CustomValue { val, .. } => Value::string(val.value_string(), head),
+                    _ => Value::string(value.get_type().to_string(), head),
+                }
+            } else {
+                describe_value(value, head, engine_state, call)?
             }
         }
     };
 
-    Ok(Value::string(description, head).into_pipeline_data())
+    Ok(description.into_pipeline_data())
+}
+
+fn describe_value(
+    value: Value,
+    head: nu_protocol::Span,
+    engine_state: Option<&EngineState>,
+    call: &Call,
+) -> Result<Value, ShellError> {
+    Ok(match value {
+        Value::CustomValue { val, internal_span } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string("custom", head),
+                "subtype" => run(engine_state,call, val.to_base_value(internal_span)?.into_pipeline_data())?.into_value(head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::Bool { .. }
+        | Value::Int { .. }
+        | Value::Float { .. }
+        | Value::Filesize { .. }
+        | Value::Duration { .. }
+        | Value::Date { .. }
+        | Value::Range { .. }
+        | Value::String { .. }
+        | Value::MatchPattern { .. }
+        | Value::Nothing { .. } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string(value.get_type().to_string(), head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::Record { val, .. } => {
+            let mut record = Record::new();
+            for i in 0..val.len() {
+                let k = val.cols[i].clone();
+                let v = val.vals[i].clone();
+
+                record.push(k, {
+                    if let Value::Record { val, .. } =
+                        describe_value(v.clone(), head, engine_state, call)?
+                    {
+                        if let [Value::String { val: k, .. }] = val.vals.as_slice() {
+                            Value::string(k, head)
+                        } else {
+                            Value::record(val, head)
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        describe_value(v, head, engine_state, call)?
+                    }
+                });
+            }
+
+            Value::record(
+                record!(
+                    "type" => Value::string("record", head),
+                    "lazy" => Value::bool(false, head),
+                    "columns" => Value::record(record, head),
+                ),
+                head,
+            )
+        }
+        Value::List { vals, .. } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string("list", head),
+                "length" => Value::int(vals.len() as i64, head),
+                "values" => Value::list(vals.iter().map(|v|
+                    match describe_value(v.clone(), head, engine_state, call) {
+                        Ok(Value::Record {val, ..}) => if val.cols.as_slice() == ["type"] {Ok(val.vals[0].clone())} else {Ok(Value::record(val, head))},
+                        x => x
+                    }
+                ).collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?, head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::Block { val, .. } | Value::Closure { val, .. } => {
+            let block = engine_state.map(|engine_state| engine_state.get_block(val));
+
+            if let Some(block) = block {
+                let mut record = Record::new();
+                record.push("type", Value::string(value.get_type().to_string(), head));
+                record.push(
+                    "signature",
+                    Value::record(
+                        record!(
+                            "name" => Value::string(block.signature.name.clone(), head),
+                            "category" => Value::string(block.signature.category.to_string(), head),
+                        ),
+                        head,
+                    ),
+                );
+                Value::record(record, head)
+            } else {
+                Value::record(
+                    record!(
+                        "type" => Value::string("closure", head),
+                    ),
+                    head,
+                )
+            }
+        }
+
+        Value::Error { error, .. } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string("error", head),
+                "subtype" => Value::string(error.to_string(), head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::Binary { val, .. } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string("binary", head),
+                "length" => Value::int(val.len() as i64, head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::CellPath { val, .. } => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "type" => Value::string("cellpath", head),
+                "length" => Value::int(val.members.len() as i64, head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        Value::LazyRecord { val, .. } => {
+            let collect_lazyrecords: bool = call.has_flag("collect-lazyrecords");
+            let mut record = Record::new();
+
+            record.push("type", Value::string("record", head));
+            record.push("lazy", Value::bool(true, head));
+
+            if collect_lazyrecords {
+                let collected = val.collect()?;
+                if let Value::Record { val, .. } =
+                    describe_value(collected, head, engine_state, call)?
+                {
+                    let mut record_cols = Record::new();
+                    record.push("length", Value::int(val.len() as i64, head));
+
+                    for i in 0..val.len() {
+                        record_cols.push(
+                            val.cols[i].clone(),
+                            describe_value(val.vals[i].clone(), head, engine_state, call)?,
+                        );
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    let cols = val.column_names();
+                    record.push("length", Value::int(cols.len() as i64, head));
+                }
+            } else {
+                let cols = val.column_names();
+                record.push("length", Value::int(cols.len() as i64, head));
+            }
+
+            Value::record(record!(), head)
+        }
+    })
+}
+
+fn metadata_to_value(metadata: Option<Box<PipelineMetadata>>, head: nu_protocol::Span) -> Value {
+    match metadata {
+        Some(metadata) => Value::record(
+            record!(
+                "data_source" => Value::string(format!("{:?}", metadata.data_source), head),
+            ),
+            head,
+        ),
+        _ => Value::nothing(head),
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/example_support.rs b/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/example_support.rs
index db34962f8..44efa911d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/example_support.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cmd-lang/src/example_support.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use nu_protocol::{
-    ast::Block,
+    ast::{Block, RangeInclusion},
     engine::{EngineState, Stack, StateDelta, StateWorkingSet},
     Example, PipelineData, Signature, Span, Type, Value,
 };
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ pub fn check_example_evaluates_to_expected_output(
     // you need to define its equality in the Value struct
     if let Some(expected) = example.result.as_ref() {
         assert_eq!(
-            &result, expected,
+            DebuggableValue(&result),
+            DebuggableValue(expected),
             "The example result differs from the expected value",
         )
     }
@@ -184,3 +185,103 @@ fn eval(
     let (block, delta) = parse(contents, engine_state);
     eval_block(block, input, cwd, engine_state, delta)
 }
+
+pub struct DebuggableValue<'a>(pub &'a Value);
+
+impl PartialEq for DebuggableValue<'_> {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.0 == other.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> std::fmt::Debug for DebuggableValue<'a> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self.0 {
+            Value::Bool { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "{:?}", val)
+            }
+            Value::Int { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "{:?}", val)
+            }
+            Value::Float { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "{:?}f", val)
+            }
+            Value::Filesize { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Filesize({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::Duration { val, .. } => {
+                let duration = std::time::Duration::from_nanos(*val as u64);
+                write!(f, "Duration({:?})", duration)
+            }
+            Value::Date { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Date({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::Range { val, .. } => match val.inclusion {
+                RangeInclusion::Inclusive => write!(
+                    f,
+                    "Range({:?}..{:?}, step: {:?})",
+                    val.from, val.to, val.incr
+                ),
+                RangeInclusion::RightExclusive => write!(
+                    f,
+                    "Range({:?}..<{:?}, step: {:?})",
+                    val.from, val.to, val.incr
+                ),
+            },
+            Value::String { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "{:?}", val)
+            }
+            Value::Record { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "{{")?;
+                for i in 0..val.len() {
+                    let col = &val.cols[i];
+                    let value = &val.vals[i];
+
+                    if i > 0 {
+                        write!(f, ", ")?;
+                    }
+                    write!(f, "{:?}: {:?}", col, DebuggableValue(value))?;
+                }
+                write!(f, "}}")
+            }
+            Value::List { vals, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "[")?;
+                for (i, value) in vals.iter().enumerate() {
+                    if i > 0 {
+                        write!(f, ", ")?;
+                    }
+                    write!(f, "{:?}", DebuggableValue(value))?;
+                }
+                write!(f, "]")
+            }
+            Value::Block { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Block({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::Closure { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Closure({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::Nothing { .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Nothing")
+            }
+            Value::Error { error, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Error({:?})", error)
+            }
+            Value::Binary { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "Binary({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::CellPath { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "CellPath({:?})", val.into_string())
+            }
+            Value::CustomValue { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "CustomValue({:?})", val)
+            }
+            Value::LazyRecord { val, .. } => {
+                let rec = val.collect().map_err(|_| std::fmt::Error)?;
+                write!(f, "LazyRecord({:?})", DebuggableValue(&rec))
+            }
+            Value::MatchPattern { val, .. } => {
+                write!(f, "MatchPattern({:?})", val)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}