Business Segment Information for Continuing Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Jan. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ 446,344us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 485,940us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Segment Earnings	45,204esl_SegmentEarningsLosses	66,380esl_SegmentEarningsLosses
Corporate expense	(19,015)	(15,219)
Other income	12,744us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncome	0us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncome
Interest income	179us-gaap_InterestAndOtherIncome	119us-gaap_InterestAndOtherIncome
Interest expense	(5,841)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(8,625)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	33,271	42,655
Avionics & Controls
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	176,478	193,890
Segment Earnings	19,102	27,740
Sensors & Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	163,656	181,774
Segment Earnings	9,571	20,632
Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	106,210	110,276
Segment Earnings	$ 16,531	$ 18,008

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses excluding corporate expense from operating revenues.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Segment reporting information corporate expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

The amount of interest income and other income recognized during the period. Included in this element is interest derived from investments in debt securities, cash and cash equivalents, and other investments which reflect the time value of money or transactions in which the payments are for the use or forbearance of money and other income from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 9

-Article 9

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- Definition

The total amount of other operating income, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, from items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operation.

+ References

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

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