summary
Americannoun
plural
summariesadjective
-
brief and comprehensive; concise.
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direct and prompt; unceremoniously fast.
to treat someone with summary dispatch.
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(of legal proceedings, jurisdiction, etc.) conducted without, or exempt from, the various steps and delays of a formal trial.
noun
adjective
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performed arbitrarily and quickly, without formality
a summary execution
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(of legal proceedings) short and free from the complexities and delays of a full trial
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the right a court has to adjudicate immediately upon some matter arising during its proceedings
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giving the gist or essence
Related Words
Summary, brief, digest, synopsis are terms for a short version of a longer work. A summary is a brief statement or restatement of main points, especially as a conclusion to a work: a summary of a chapter. A brief is a detailed outline, by heads and subheads, of a discourse (usually legal) to be completed: a brief for an argument. A digest is an abridgment of an article, book, etc., or an organized arrangement of material under heads and titles: a digest of a popular novel; a digest of Roman law. A synopsis is usually a compressed statement of the plot of a novel, play, etc.: a synopsis of Hamlet.
Other Word Forms
- summarily adverb
- summariness noun
Etymology
Origin of summary
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin summārium, equivalent to summ(a) “sum” + -ārium noun suffix; sum, -ary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Every candidate enters a contest with a backstory and a record, which is condensed to a summary that serves as calling card, strategic foundation and a rationale for their run.
From Los Angeles Times
They must keep digital records using approved software and submit quarterly income and expense summaries to HMRC.
From BBC
It also mandates a summary of the redactions made and the legal basis for them.
From BBC
On Monday, the Bank of Japan is scheduled to release a summary of opinions from its January meeting, at which it held its policy rate steady at a three-decade high of 0.75%.
In summary, the phrase means the ability to show head, heart and courage in times of difficulty.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
