brief

[ breef ]

/ brif /

SEE 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 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

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

SYNONYMS FOR brief

1 short-lived, fleeting, transitory, ephemeral, transient. See short.

2 terse, compact, pithy, condensed.

5 outline, précis, epitome, abstract. See summary.

14 summarize, outline.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR brief ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM brief

brief·er, noun brief·ness, noun un·brief, adjective un·brief·ly, adverb

un·brief·ness, noun un·briefed, adjective

Words nearby brief

bridle path, bridle suture, bridlewise, bridoon, brie, brief, briefcase, briefing, briefless, briefly, briefs

Example sentences from the Web for briefs

Sometimes when a woman asks him to sign her briefs, it turns out she's still wearing them.

Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up |Tom Boswell |September 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
One afternoon at 5:30 p.m., we sit in the dining room as Doug briefs the staff about the evening special: Hawaiian pink snapper.

A Magical Meal at Louie’s Backyard in the Conch Republic |Jane & Michael Stern |July 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But these briefs are serious in tone even though Ilya is funny in person.

My Reverse-Cyrano Moment Wooing the Supreme Court |P. J. O’Rourke |March 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He also wrote that he liked to wear “the briefs that are like boxers.”

Erbie Bowser: A ‘Gentle Giant’ Who Snapped |Christine Pelisek |August 9, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

He then goes on to do some stretches in his briefs, undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for some moviegoers.

Zac Efron, Tom Cruise & More Actors in Their Tighty Whities (VIDEO) |Mike Munoz |October 4, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
A rapid ride soon brought the man of briefs and depositions to the prison, where the unhappy Connor lay.

Fardorougha, The Miser |William Carleton
In the case of some important witnesses, she prepared the briefs for cross-examination, as well as examination.

The Life of Florence Nightingale vol. 1 of 2 |Edward Tyas Cook
It was the column headed "Briefs," however, that tagged the Declarator.

Dominie Dean |Ellis Parker Butler
He set to work at one of his briefs, determined not to encourage himself in any illusions.

Talbot's Angles |Amy E. Blanchard
She became the light of her father's house, and used even to copy out his briefs, at which task I often found her of an evening.

Richard Carvel, Complete |Winston Churchill

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (1 of 2)

briefs

/ (briːfs) /

pl n

men's underpants or women's pants without legs

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (2 of 2)

brief

/ (briːf) /

adjective

short in duration a brief holiday

short in length or extent; scanty a brief bikini

abrupt in manner; brusque the professor was brief with me this morning

terse or concise; containing few words he 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, etc See also briefs

Derived forms of brief

briefly, adverb briefness, noun

Word Origin for brief

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

Idioms and Phrases with briefs

brief

see hold no brief for; in brief.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

brief

adjective, brief·er, brief·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for brief

Origin of brief

SYNONYMS FOR brief

OTHER WORDS FROM brief

Words nearby brief

Example sentences from the Web for briefs

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (2 of 2)

adjective

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of brief

Word Origin for brief

Idioms and Phrases with briefs

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

brief

adjective, brief·er, brief·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for brief

Origin of brief

SYNONYMS FOR brief

OTHER WORDS FROM brief

Words nearby brief

Words related to briefs

Example sentences from the Web for briefs

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for briefs (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (2 of 2)

adjective

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of brief

Word Origin for brief

Idioms and Phrases with briefs

British Dictionary definitions for briefs (1 of 2)