brief Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case
    legal brief.
  2. noun a condensed written summary or abstract
  3. verb give essential information to someone
    • The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade
  4. adjective satellite of short duration or distance
    • a brief stay in the country
  5. adjective satellite concise and succinct
    • covered the matter in a brief statement
  6. adjective satellite (of clothing) very short
    abbreviated.
    • an abbreviated swimsuit
    • a brief bikini

WordNet

Brief adjective
Etymology
OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. short, and perh. to Skr. barh to tear. Cf. Breve.
Definitions
  1. Short in duration.
    How brief the life of man. Shak.
  2. Concise; terse; succinct.
    The brief style is that which expresseth much in little. B. Jonson.
  3. Rife; common; prevalent. Prov. Eng. Syn. -- Short; concise; succinct; summary; compendious; condensed; terse; curt; transistory; short-lived.
Brief adverb
Definitions
  1. Briefly. Obs. or Poetic
    Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. Milton.
  2. Soon; quickly. Obs. Shak.
Brief noun
Etymology
See Brief, a., and cf. Breve.
Definitions
  1. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words.
    Bear this sealed brief, With winged hastle, to the lord marshal. Shak.
    And she told me In a sweet, verbal brief. Shak.
  2. An epitome.
    Each woman is a brief of womankind. Overbury.
  3. (Law) An abridgment or concise statement of a client's case, made out for the instruction of counsel in a trial at law. This word is applied also to a statement of the heads or points of a law argument.
    It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief. Sir J. Stephen.
    ✍ In England, the brief is prepared by the attorney; in the United States, counsel generally make up their own briefs.
  4. (Law) A writ; a breve. See Breve, n., 2.
  5. (Scots Law) A writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorizing that judge to call a jury to inquire into the case, and upon their verdict to pronounce sentence.
  6. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. Eng.
Brief transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.

Webster 1913