brief

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English breef, breve, bref, from Old French brief, bref, from Latin brevis (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus (“short, brief”). Doublet of breve and merry. === Pronunciation === enPR: brēf, IPA(key): /bɹiːf/ Rhymes: -iːf === Adjective === brief (comparative briefer or more brief, superlative briefest or most brief) Of short duration; happening quickly. [from 15th c.] Concise; taking few words. [from 15th c.] Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short. [from 17th c.] (obsolete) Rife; common; prevalent. ==== Synonyms ==== See also Thesaurus:ephemeral See also Thesaurus:concise ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === brief (plural briefs) (law) A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate. (Roman Catholicism) A short papal letter. Coordinate term: bull (longer) (law) An answer to any action. 1996, Japanese Rules of Civil Procedure[4], 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. (law) A memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case. (by extension, figurative) A position of interest or advocacy. (law) An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court. (English law) The material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who is counsel for the case. (English law, slang) A barrister who is counsel for a party in a legal action. A short news story or report. (usually in the plural) Underwear briefs. (usually in the plural) Swimming briefs. (obsolete) A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract. (UK, historical) A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. (slang) A ticket of any type. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “brief”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN. === Verb === brief (third-person singular simple present briefs, present participle briefing, simple past and past participle briefed) (transitive) To summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power. (transitive, law) To write a legal argument and submit it to a court. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adverb === brief (comparative more brief, superlative most brief) (obsolete, poetic) Briefly. (obsolete, poetic) Soon; quickly. ==== Related terms ==== briefing brevity === References === === Further reading === “brief”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “brief”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “brief”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. === Anagrams === FBIer, fiber, fibre == Afrikaans == === Etymology === From Dutch brief, from Middle Dutch brief, from Old Dutch [Term?], from Latin brevis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /brif/ === Noun === brief (plural briewe) letter (written message) == Dutch == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /brif/ Hyphenation: brief Rhymes: -if === Etymology 1 === From Middle Dutch brief, from Old Dutch, borrowed from Latin brevis (“short”). ==== Noun ==== brief f (plural brieven, diminutive briefje n) letter (written message) ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: brief Berbice Creole Dutch: brifu Negerhollands: brief, brif → Papiamentu: brifi (dated) → Sranan Tongo: brifi Aukan: biifi Saramaccan: biífi → Kari'na: brifi === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== brief inflection of briefen: first-person singular present indicative (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative imperative === References === == Fingallian == === Etymology === From Middle English breef, from Old French brief, bref, from Latin brevis (“short”). === Adverb === brief swift 1689 James Farewell, The Irish Hudibras, or, Fingallian prince taken from the sixth book of Virgil's Æneids, and adapted to the present times. (Appendix: "Alphabetical Table" of "Fingallian Words, or Irish Phrases"): == Middle French == === Etymology === From Old French brief. === Adjective === brief m (feminine singular briefve, masculine plural briefs, feminine plural briefves) brief; short ==== Descendants ==== French: bref == Old French == === Alternative forms === bref === Etymology === From Latin brevis. === Adjective === brief m (oblique and nominative feminine singular brieve) brief, short in length ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== briement === Noun === brief oblique singular, m (oblique plural briés, nominative singular briés, nominative plural brief) (short) letter or statement ==== Descendants ==== Middle French: briefFrench: bref → Middle English: bref, breef, breve, brefe, breefe English: brief, breve Scots: brief, brieve, breef, briefe