lasting or taking a short time; of short duration: a brief walk; a brief stay in the country.
2.
using few words; concise; succinct: a brief report on weather conditions.
3.
abrupt or curt.
4.
scanty: a brief bathing suit.
–noun
5.
a short and concise statement or written item.
6.
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.
7.
Law.
a.
a writ summoning one to answer to any action.
b.
a memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
c.
a written argument submitted to a court.
d.
(in England) the material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who tries the case.
8.
an outline, summary, or synopsis, as of a book.
9.
briefs, (used with a plural verb) close-fitting, legless underpants with an elastic waistband.
Succinct; concise: a brief account of the incident.
Curt; abrupt.
n.
A short, succinct statement.
A condensation or an abstract of a larger document or series of documents.
Law
A formal outline listing main contentions along with supporting evidence and documentation.
A document containing all the facts and points of law pertinent to a specific case, filed by an attorney before arguing the case in court.
Roman Catholic Church A papal letter that is not as formal as a bull.
A briefing.
briefs Short, tight-fitting underpants.
tr.v.
briefed, brief·ing, briefs
To summarize.
To give instructions or preparatory information to: briefed the astronauts before the mission.
[Middle English bref, from Old French, from Latin brevis. N., Middle English bref, written communication, from Old French, from Medieval Latin breve, from Latin, neuter of brevis, short; see mregh-u- in Indo-European roots.]
1292, from L. brevis (adj.) "short, low, little, shallow," from PIE *bregh- "cut, beat, beat (out)" (cf. Gk. brakhys "short," O.C.S. bruzeja "shallow places, shoals"). Noun derivative breve (gen. brevis) meant "letter, summary" (specifically a letter of the pope, less ample and solemn than a bull), and came to mean "letter of authority," which yielded the modern, legal sense of "summary of the facts of a case" (1631). The verb meaning "to give instructions or information to" (1866) was originally "to instruct by a brief" (1862); hence briefing, first attested 1910 but popularized by WWII pre-flight conferences. Briefs "short, tight underwear" is from 1934.
A*bridge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abridged; p. pr. & vb. n. Abridging.] [OE. abregen, OF. abregier, F. abr['e]ger, fr. L. abbreviare; ad + brevis short. See Brief and cf. Abbreviate.]1. To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge labor; to abridge power or rights. "The bridegroom . . . abridged his visit." --Smollett. She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her train from state to necessity. --Fuller. 2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to abridge a history or dictionary. 3. To deprive; to cut off; -- followed by of, and formerly by from; as, to abridge one of his rights.
Ap`os*tol"ic\, Apostolical \Ap`os*tol"ic*al\, a. [L. apostolicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. apostolique.]1. Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times, or their peculiar spirit; as, an apostolical mission; the apostolic age. 2. According to the doctrines of the apostles; delivered or taught by the apostles; as, apostolic faith or practice. 3. Of or pertaining to the pope or the papacy; papal. Apostolical brief. See under Brief. Apostolic canons, a collection of rules and precepts relating to the duty of Christians, and particularly to the ceremonies and discipline of the church in the second and third centuries. Apostolic church, the Christian church; -- so called on account of its apostolic foundation, doctrine, and order. The churches of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem were called apostolic churches. Apostolic constitutions, directions of a nature similar to the apostolic canons, and perhaps compiled by the same authors or author. Apostolic fathers, early Christian writers, who were born in the first century, and thus touched on the age of the apostles. They were Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, and Hermas; to these Barnabas has sometimes been added. Apostolic king (or majesty), a title granted by the pope to the kings of Hungary on account of the extensive propagation of Christianity by St. Stephen, the founder of the royal line. It is now a title of the emperor of Austria in right of the throne of Hungary. Apostolic see, a see founded and governed by an apostle; specifically, the Church of Rome; -- so called because, in the Roman Catholic belief, the pope is the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the only apostle who has successors in the apostolic office. Apostolical succession, the regular and uninterrupted transmission of ministerial authority by a succession of bishops from the apostles to any subsequent period. --Hook.
Breve\ (br[=e]v), n. [It. & (in sense 2) LL. breve, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]1. (Mus.) A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: ? ), but is now made oval, with a line perpendicular to the staff on each of its sides; -- formerly much used for choir service. --Moore. 2. (Law) Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court. 3. (Print.) A curved mark [[breve]] used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel. 4. (Zo["o]l.) The great ant thrush of Sumatra (Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.
Bre*vet"\ (br[-e]*v[e^]t"; 277), n. [F. brevet, LL. brevetum, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]1. A warrant from the government, granting a privilege, title, or dignity. [French usage]. 2. (Mil.) A commission giving an officer higher rank than that for which he receives pay; an honorary promotion of an officer. Note: In the United States army, rank by brevet is conferred, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for "gallant actions or meritorious services." A brevet rank gives no right of command in the particular corps to which the officer brevetted belongs, and can be exercised only by special assignment of the President, or on court martial, and detachments composed of different corps, with pay of the brevet rank when on such duty.
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