English
brief
Etymology

From Middle English breef, breve, bref, from Old French brief, bref, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus.

Pronunciation Adjective

brief (comparative briefer, superlative briefest)

  1. Of short duration; happening quickly. [from 15th c.]
    Her reign was brief but spectacular.
    • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:
      Some, how briefe the Life of man / runs his erring pilgrimage, / That the ſtretching of a ſpan, / buckles in his ſumme of age.
    • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC ↗:
      It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
  2. Concise; taking few words. [from 15th c.]
    His speech of acceptance was brief but moving.
    • 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC ↗:
      She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive.
  3. Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short. [from 17th c.]
    Her skirt was extremely brief but doubtless cool.
    • 1983, Robert Drewe, The Bodysurfers, Penguin, published 2009, page 17:
      On the beach he always wore a straw hat with a red band and a brief pair of leopard print trunks.
  4. (obsolete) Rife; common; prevalent.
Synonyms Related terms Translations Translations Noun

brief (plural briefs)

  1. (legal) A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate.
  2. (legal) An answer to any action.
    • 1996, Japanese Rules of Civil Procedure[https://web.archive.org/web/20201118131150/http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail_main?re=&vm=02&id=1846], Article 79, Section 1:
      A written answer or any other brief shall be submitted to the court while allowing a period necessary for the opponent to make preparations with regard to the matters stated therein.
  3. (legal) A memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
  4. (by extension, figurative) A position of interest or advocacy.
  5. (legal) An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court.
  6. (English law) The material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who is counsel for the case.
  7. (English law, slang) A barrister who is counsel for a party in a legal action.
  8. A short news story or report.
    We got a news brief.
    • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene iv]:
      Hie good ſir Mighell, beare this ſealed briefe / With winged haſte to the Lord Marſhall / This to my cooſen Scroope, and all the reſt / To whom they are directed.
  9. (usually, in the plural) underwear briefs.
    I wear boxers under trousers but for sports I usually wear a brief.
  10. (obsolete) A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract.
    • 1589, Thomas Nashe, The Anatomie of Absurditie‎:
      […] euen ſo it fareth with mee, who béeing about to anatomize Abſurditie, am vrged to take a view of ſundry mens vanitie, a ſuruey of their follie, a briefe of their barbariſme […]
  11. (UK, historical) A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose.
  12. (slang) A ticket of any type.
Translations Verb

brief (briefs, present participle briefing; simple past and past participle briefed)

  1. (transitive) To summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power.
    The U.S. president was briefed on the military coup and its implications on African stability.
  2. (transitive, legal) To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.
Translations Adverb

brief

  1. (obsolete, poetic) Briefly.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗, line 115:
      Whence Adam faultring long, thus anſwer’d brief.
  2. (obsolete, poetic) Soon; quickly.
    • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene iii], lines 173–175:
      But that a ioy paſt ioy, calls out on me, / It were a griefe, to briefe to part with thee : / Farewell.
Related terms

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