Retirement benefits - accumulated other comprehensive income (Details) - Pension Plan - USD ($) $ in Millions	Aug. 31, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net actuarial loss	$ 858	$ 92
Prior service cost	(1)	24
Total	$ 857	$ 116

Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit).

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Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for gain (loss) of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
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Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for cost (credit) of benefit change attributable to participants' prior service from plan amendment or plan initiation of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit).

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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