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

British Dictionary definitions for in brief

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 in brief (1 of 2)

in brief

Also, in short; in a word. Concisely, in few words, to sum up. All three phrases usually precede or follow a summary statement, as in In brief, we didn't get much out of his speech, or There was no agenda; in short, they could discuss whatever they wanted to, or The sun was shining, the sky was clear—in a word, it was a beautiful day. The first expression dates from the early 1400s; in short dates from the 1300s but the present usage dates from the 1700s; the hyperbolic in a word (since there is nearly always more than one word) dates from the late 1500s.

Idioms and Phrases with in brief (2 of 2)

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

British Dictionary definitions for in brief

adjective

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of brief

Word Origin for brief

Idioms and Phrases with in brief (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with in brief (2 of 2)

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 in brief

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adjective

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of brief

Word Origin for brief

Idioms and Phrases with in brief (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with in brief (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for in brief