briefnessn.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [noun]
shorthead1340
briefnessa1400
brevity1542
momentaniness1635
momentariness1648
shortlivedness1817
momentaneity1921
short-windedness1934
a1400 Cov. Myst. 79 We passe ovyr that, breffnes of tyme consyderynge.
1539 C. Tunstall Serm. Palme Sondaye (1823) 75 For brefenes of tyme I shal omytte to reherse them.
1608 Shakespeare King Lear vi. 18 Breefnes and fortune helpe.
1609 Shakespeare Pericles xxii. 15 In fetherd briefenes sayles are fild. View more context for this quotation
2. Shortness in speech or writing; brevity; conciseness.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > conciseness > [noun]
fastness?a1200
compendiousness1398
short speaking14..
shortness?c1450
brevity1509
briefness1530
pithiness1557
laconism1570
succinctness1609
parsimony1650
laconicism1656
nexility1656
syntomy1656
conciseness1659
closeness1712
compendiosity1727
pressness1728
abruptness1731
concision1774
laconicalness1830
compactness1841
terseness1864
Spartanhood1880
Spartanism1880
brachylogy1882–3
condensity1885
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 58 The brefnesse that the frenche tong useth in soundyng of theyr wordes.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke Pref. 8 For loue of briefnesse.
1569 A. Golding tr. N. Hemmingsen Postill f. 3 For breefnesse sake I omit.
1619 E. M. Bolton in tr. Florus Rom. Hist. To Rdr. 5 A most exact, and studied method of briefnesse.
1811 Edinb. Rev. 18 287 A style..characterised by a studied briefness and simplicity of diction.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.a1400