brief

See also: Brief

brief - English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: brēf, IPA: /bɹiːf/

Adjective

brief (comparative briefer, superlative briefest)

  1. Of short duration; happening quickly.
    • Her reign was brief but spectacular.
  2. Concise; taking few words.
    • His speech of acceptance was brief but moving.
  3. Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.
    • Her skirt was extremely brief but doubtless cool.
  4. (obsolete) Rife; common; prevalent.

Synonyms

  • See also ephemeral
  • See also concise

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

brief (plural briefs)

  1. (law) A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate.
  2. (law) An answer to any action.
  3. (law) 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. (law) 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.
  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.
  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.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

brief (third-person singular simple present 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, law) To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

brief (comparative more brief, superlative most brief)

  1. (obsolete, poetic) Briefly.
  2. (obsolete, poetic) Soon; quickly.

Anagrams

brief - Afrikaans

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /brif/

Noun

brief (plural briewe)

  1. letter (written message)

brief - Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /brif/
  • Hyphenation: brief

Noun

brief m (plural brieven, diminutive briefje n)

  1. letter (written message)

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: brief
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: brifu
  • Negerhollands: brief, brif
  • Papiamentu: brifi (dated)
  • Sranan Tongo: brifi
    • Aukan: biifi
    • Galibi Carib: brifi
    • Saramaccan: biífi

brief - Middle French

Adjective

brief m (feminine singular briefve, masculine plural briefs, feminine plural briefves)

  1. brief; short

Descendants

brief - Old French

Alternative forms

Adjective

brief m (oblique and nominative feminine singular brieve)

  1. brief, short in length

Declension

Number Case Masculine Feminine Neuter
Singular Subject briés brieve brief
Oblique brief brieve brief
Plural Subject brief brieves brief
Oblique briés brieves brief

Derived terms

Noun

brief m (oblique plural briés, nominative singular briés, nominative plural brief)

  1. (short) letter or statement

Descendants

Meaning and Definition of brief
© 2022 WordCodex