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 for brief
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
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bref, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin brevis “short”; see breve
As they moved down the street, Harris waved, held her hand to her heart, and bumped elbows and had brief conversations with several onlookers.
Election live updates: Trump returns to Wisconsin; Biden to face live audience at town hall|Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Amazon, meanwhile, set their preorders live late Wednesday around midnight ET, only for consoles to sell out within a similarly brief timeframe.
F5 for PS5: All your PlayStation 5 preorder links in one place|Jeff Dunn|September 17, 2020|Ars Technica
For over a decade, astronomers have puzzled over the origins of fast radio bursts, brief blasts of radio waves that come mostly from distant galaxies.
Neutrinos could reveal how fast radio bursts are launched|Lisa Grossman|September 16, 2020|Science News
After brief introductions, he told me to follow him, but he went the wrong way.
How to hunt for star-nosed moles (and their holes)|Kenneth Catania|September 15, 2020|Popular Science
I’m most in love with the liner, which feels like a comfy pair of boxer-briefs even when they get wet.
The Gear That Lets Me Enjoy the Last Days of Summer|Graham Averill|September 15, 2020|Outside Online
In his brief appearance today, Scalise never mentioned Duke.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Even when financial facilitators are arrested, incarceration is brief.
U.S. Ally Qatar Shelters Jihadi Moneymen|Jamie Dettmer|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Brief time remains for thee to prepare for the impending stroke, to arrange thy affairs, and to take leave of thy friends.
Egmont|Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
In his brief he spoke in the highest terms of the Spanish episcopate, and of the piety and heroic devotion of the priesthood.
The War Upon Religion|Rev. Francis A. Cunningham
As all the bishops in Spain were ordered to publish this brief, the Inquisition could not suppress it, however humiliating it was.
A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 3|Henry Charles Lea
It merely aims to be a brief recital of his present condition.
The Railroad Problem|Edward Hungerford
Late in the afternoon, however, came a brief battalion drill, followed by the glorious spectacle of dress parade.
Uncle Sam's Boys in the Ranks|H. Irving Hancock
British Dictionary definitions for brief
brief
/ (briːf) /
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
lawa document containing all the facts and points of law of a case by which a solicitor instructs a barrister to represent a client
RC Churcha 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
Britishslanga lawyer, esp a barrister
hold a brief forto argue for; champion
in briefin 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 forms of brief
briefly, adverbbriefness, noun
Word Origin for brief
C14: from Old French bref, from Latin brevis; related to Greek brakhus