brief

[breef]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR brief ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, brief·er, brief·est.

lasting or taking a short time; of short duration: a brief walk; a brief stay in the country.

using few words; concise; succinct: a brief report on weather conditions.

abrupt or curt.

scanty: a brief bathing suit.

noun

a short and concise statement or written item.

an outline, the form of which is determined by set rules, of all the possible arguments and information on one side of a controversy: a debater's brief.

Law.

a writ summoning one to answer to any action.
a memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
a written argument submitted to a court.
(in England) the material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who tries the case.

an outline, summary, or synopsis, as of a book.

briefs, (used with a plural verb) close-fitting, legless underpants with an elastic waistband.

a briefing.

Roman Catholic Church. a papal letter less formal than a bull, sealed with the pope's signet ring or stamped with the device borne on this ring.

British Theater. a free ticket; pass.

Obsolete. a letter.

verb (used with object)

to make an abstract or summary of.

to instruct by a brief or briefing: They brief all the agents before assigning them.

Law. to retain as advocate in a suit.

Idioms

hold a brief for, to support or defend by argument; endorse.

in brief, in a few words; in short: The supervisor outlined in brief the duties of the new assistant.

Origin of brief

1250–1300; Middle English bref < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin brevis short; see breve

Related formsbrief·er, nounbrief·ness, nounun·brief, adjectiveun·brief·ly, adverbun·brief·ness, nounun·briefed, adjective

Synonyms for brief

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR brief ON THESAURUS.COM

1. short-lived, fleeting, transitory, ephemeral, transient. See short. 2. terse, compact, pithy, condensed. 5. outline, précis, epitome, abstract. See summary. 14. summarize, outline.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for brief

pithy, concise, terse, abrupt, succinct, blunt, temporary, short-lived, quick, fleeting, swift, momentary, prepare, explain, apprise, update, inform, instruct, advise, limited

Examples from the Web for brief

Contemporary Examples of brief

In his brief appearance today, Scalise never mentioned Duke.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence
Jason Berry
January 7, 2015
Before we get to all that, permit me a brief reflection on this matter of Steve Scalise.
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game
Michael Tomasky
January 2, 2015
Hawking, of course, came to global fame with his book A Brief History of Time.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?
Clive Irving
December 14, 2014
Even when financial facilitators are arrested, incarceration is brief.
U.S. Ally Qatar Shelters Jihadi Moneymen
Jamie Dettmer
December 10, 2014
Even the brief time spent chewing exposes foods to enzymes that begin to break it down.
‘Rectal Feeding’ Has Nothing to Do with Nutrition, Everything to Do with Torture
Russell Saunders
December 10, 2014

Historical Examples of brief

From one enemy of Robert the transition is brief and natural to another.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
He made his way to the house of Squire Paine, and, after a brief pause, was admitted.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
It concerns myself, and will therefore be as brief as possible.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
We regret that his tours are so rapid, and his journals so brief.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
He made a brief gesture, like one wiping an obstacle out of the way.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand

British Dictionary definitions for brief

brief

adjective

short in durationa brief holiday

short in length or extent; scantya brief bikini

abrupt in manner; brusquethe professor was brief with me this morning

terse or concise; containing few wordshe made a brief statement

noun

a condensed or short statement or written synopsis; abstract

law a document containing all the facts and points of law of a case by which a solicitor instructs a barrister to represent a client

RC Church a letter issuing from the Roman court written in modern characters, as contrasted with a papal bull; papal brief

short for briefing

a paper outlining the arguments and information on one side of a debate

British slang a lawyer, esp a barrister

hold a brief for to argue for; champion

in brief in short; to sum up

verb (tr)

to prepare or instruct by giving a summary of relevant facts

to make a summary or synopsis of

English law

to instruct (a barrister) by brief
to retain (a barrister) as counsel

(intr foll by against) to supply potentially damaging or negative information regarding somone, as to the media, a politician, etcSee also briefs

Derived Formsbriefly, adverbbriefness, noun

Word Origin for brief

C14: from Old French bref, from Latin brevis; related to Greek brakhus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for brief

adj.

late 13c., from Latin brevis (adj.) "short, low, little, shallow," from PIE *mregh-wi-, from root *mregh-u- "short" (cf. Greek brakhys "short," Old Church Slavonic bruzeja "shallow places, shoals," Gothic gamaurgjan "to shorten").

from Latin breve (genitive brevis), noun derivative of adjective brevis (see brief (adj.)) which came to mean "letter, summary," specifically a letter of the pope (less ample and solemn than a bull), and thus came to mean "letter of authority," which yielded the modern, legal sense of "summary of the facts of a case" (1630s).

"to give instructions or information to," 1866; originally "to instruct by a brief" (1862), from brief (n.). Related: Briefed; briefing.

Idioms and Phrases with brief

brief

see hold no brief for; in brief.