19 results for: concise

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·cise

Audio Help [kuh

–adjective

expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse: a concise explanation of the company's retirement plan.

[Origin: 1580–90; < L concīsus cut short (ptp. of concīdere), equiv. to con- con- + -cīd- (comb. form of caedere to cut) + -tus ptp. ending

]

—Related forms

con·cise·ly, adverb

—Synonyms pithy, compendious, laconic. Concise, succinct, terse all refer to speech or writing that uses few words to say much. Concise usually implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated from a more wordy statement: a concise summary of the speech. Succinct, on the other hand, implies that the message is as originally composed and is expressed in as few words as possible: a succinct statement of the problem. Terse sometimes suggests brevity combined with wit or polish to produce particularly effective expression: a terse, almost aphoristic, style. It may also suggest brusqueness or curtness: a terse reply that was almost rude.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
concise

To learn more about concise visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·cise Audio Help (kən-sīs') Pronunciation Key
adj. Expressing much in few words; clear and succinct.

[Latin concīsus, past participle of concīdere, to cut up : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + caedere, to cut; see kaə-id- in Indo-European roots.]

con·cise'ly adv., con·cise'ness n.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
concise

c.1590, from L. concisus "cut off, brief," pp. of concidere "to cut off," from com- intensive prefix + caedere "to cut," from PIE *kae-id- "to strike" (cf. Skt. skhidati "beats, tears," Lith. kaisti "shave").

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

concise
adjective
expressing much in few words; "a concise explanation" [ant: prolix]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
concise [kənˈsais] adjective

brief but comprehensive
Example: a clear concise statement

Arabic:	وَجيز، مُخْتَصَر
Chinese (Simplified):	简明的
Chinese (Traditional):	簡明的
Czech:	stručný ale výstižný
Danish:	kortfattet; konsis
Dutch:	bondig
Estonian:	sisutihe
Finnish:	ytimekäs
French:	concis
German:	prägnant
Greek:	συνοπτικός και κατανοητός
Hungarian:	tömör
Icelandic:	gagnorður
Indonesian:	ringkas
Italian:	conciso

Japanese:	簡潔な
Korean:	간결한
Latvian:	koncentrēts; kodolīgs
Lithuanian:	glaustas
Norwegian:	kortfattet, konsis
Polish:	zwięzły
Portuguese (Brazil):	conciso
Portuguese (Portugal):	sucinto
Romanian:	concis
Russian:	краткий
Slovak:	stručný, krátky
Slovenian:	zgoščen
Spanish:	conciso
Swedish:	koncis
Turkish:	kısa ve öz

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

C[ae]*su"ra\, n.; pl. E. C[ae]suras, L. C[ae]sur[ae] [L. caesura a cutting off, a division, stop, fr. caedere, caesum, to cut off. See Concise.] A metrical break in a verse, occurring in the middle of a foot and commonly near the middle of the verse; a sense pause in the middle of a foot. Also, a long syllable on which the c[ae]sural accent rests, or which is used as a foot.

Note: In the following line the c[ae]sura is between study and of.

The prop | er stud | y || of | mankind | is man.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Con*cise"\, a. [L. concisus cut off, short, p. p. of concidere to cut to pieces; con- + caedere to cut; perh. akin to scindere to cleave, and to E. shed, v. t.; cf. F. concis.] Expressing much in a few words; condensed; brief and compacted; -- used of style in writing or speaking.

The concise style, which expresseth not enough, but leaves somewhat to be understood. --B. Jonson.

Where the author is . . . too brief and concise, amplify a little. --I. Watts.

Syn: Laconic; terse; brief; short; compendious; summary; succinct. See Laconic, and Terse.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Con*ci"sion\, n. [L. concisio: cf. F. concision. See Concise.] A cutting off; a division; a schism; a faction. --South.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

concise

Dif*fuse"\, a. [L. diffusus, p. p.] Poured out; widely spread; not restrained; copious; full; esp., of style, opposed to concise or terse; verbose; prolix; as, a diffuse style; a diffuse writer.

A diffuse and various knowledge of divine and human things. --Milton.

Syn: Prolix; verbose; wide; copious; full. See Prolix.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Ex*cide"\, v. t. [L. excidere, excisum; ex out + caedere to cut. See Concise, and cf. Excise to cut off.] To cut off. [R.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Ex*cise"\, n. [Apparently fr. L. excisum cut off, fr. excidere to cut out or off; ex out, off + caedere to cut; or, as the word was formerly written accise, fr. F. accise, LL. accisia, as if fr. L. accidere, accisum, to cut into; ad + caedere to cut; but prob. transformed fr. OF. assise, LL. assisa, assisia, assize. See Assize, Concise.]

1. In inland duty or impost operating as an indirect tax on the consumer, levied upon certain specified articles, as, tobacco, ale, spirits, etc., grown or manufactured in the country. It is also levied to pursue certain trades and deal in certain commodities. Certain direct taxes (as, in England, those on carriages, servants, plate, armorial bearings, etc.), are included in the excise. Often used adjectively; as, excise duties; excise law; excise system.

The English excise system corresponds to the internal revenue system in the United States. --Abbot.

An excise . . . is a fixed, absolute, and direct charge laid on merchandise, products, or commodities. --11 Allen's (Mass. ) Rpts.

2. That department or bureau of the public service charged with the collection of the excise taxes. [Eng.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Hom"i*cide\, n. [F., fr. L. homicidium, fr. homicida a man slayer; homo man + caedere to cut, kill. See Homage, and cf. Concise, Shed, v. t.]

1. The killing of one human being by another.

Note: Homicide is of three kinds: justifiable, as when the killing is performed in the exercise of a right or performance of a duty; excusable, as when done, although not as duty or right, yet without culpable or criminal intent; and felonious, or involving what the law terms malice; the latter may be either manslaughter or murder. --Bouvier.

2. One who kills another; a manslayer. --Chaucer. Shak.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

In*cide"\, v. t. [L. incidere; pref. in- in + caedere to cut. See Concise, and cf. Incise.] To cut; to separate and remove; to resolve or break up, as by medicines. [Obs.] --Arbuthnot.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

La*con"ic\, Laconical \La*con"ic*al\, a. [L. Laconicus Laconian, Gr. ??, fr. ?? a Laconian, Laced[ae]monian, or Spartan: cf. F. laconique.]

1. Expressing much in few words, after the manner of the Laconians or Spartans; brief and pithy; brusque; epigrammatic. In this sense laconic is the usual form.

I grow laconic even beyond laconicism; for sometimes I return only yes, or no, to questionary or petitionary epistles of half a yard long. --Pope.

His sense was strong and his style laconic. --Welwood.

2. Laconian; characteristic of, or like, the Spartans; hence, stern or severe; cruel; unflinching.

His head had now felt the razor, his back the rod; all that laconical discipline pleased him well. --Bp. Hall.

Syn: Short; brief; concise; succinct; sententious; pointed; pithy.

Usage: Laconic, Concise. Concise means without irrelevant or superfluous matter; it is the opposite of diffuse. Laconic means concise with the additional quality of pithiness, sometimes of brusqueness.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Pre*cise"\, a. [L. praecisus cut off, brief, concise, p. p. of praecidere to cut off in front, to cut off; prae before + caedere to cut: cf. F. pr['e]cis. Cf. Concise.]

1. Having determinate limitations; exactly or sharply defined or stated; definite; exact; nice; not vague or equivocal; as, precise rules of morality.

The law in this point is not precise. --Bacon.

For the hour precise Exacts our parting hence. --Milton.

2. Strictly adhering or conforming to rule; very nice or exact; punctilious in conduct or ceremony; formal; ceremonious. --Addison.

He was ever precise in promise-keeping. --Shak.

Syn: Accurate; exact; definite; correct; scrupulous; punctilious; particular; nice; formal. See Accurate. -- Pre*cise"ly, adv. -- Pre*cise"ness, n.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Scis"sors\, n. pl. [OE. sisoures, OF. cisoires (cf. F. ciseaux), probably fr. LL. cisorium a cutting instrument, fr. L. caedere to cut. Cf. Chisel, Concise. The modern spelling is due to a mistaken derivation from L. scissor one who cleaves or divides, fr. scindere, scissum, to cut, split.] A cutting instrument resembling shears, but smaller, consisting of two cutting blades with handles, movable on a pin in the center, by which they are held together. Often called a pair of scissors. [Formerly written also cisors, cizars, and scissars.]

Scissors grinder (Zo["o]l.), the European goatsucker. [Prov. Eng.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Shed\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shedding.] [OE. scheden, sch?den, to pour, to part, AS. sc[=a]dan, sce['a]dan, to pert, to separate; akin to OS. sk??an, OFries. sk?tha, G. scheiden, OHG. sceidan, Goth. skaidan, and probably to Lith. sk["e]du I part, separate, L. scindere to cleave, to split, Gr. ???, Skr. chid, and perch. also to L. caedere to cut. [root]159. Cf. Chisel, Concise, Schism, Sheading, Sheath, Shide.]

1. To separate; to divide. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] --Robert of Brunne.

2. To part with; to throw off or give forth from one's self; to emit; to diffuse; to cause to emanate or flow; to pour forth or out; to spill; as, the sun sheds light; she shed tears; the clouds shed rain.

Did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood? --Shak.

Twice seven consenting years have shed Their utmost bounty on thy head. --Wordsworth.

3. To let fall; to throw off, as a natural covering of hair, feathers, shell; to cast; as, fowls shed their feathers; serpents shed their skins; trees shed leaves.

4. To cause to flow off without penetrating; as, a tight roof, or covering of oiled cloth, sheeds water.

5. To sprinkle; to intersperse; to cover. [R.] "Her hair . . . is shed with gray." --B. Jonson.

6. (Weaving) To divide, as the warp threads, so as to form a shed, or passageway, for the shuttle.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Concise

Terse\, a. [Compar. Terser; superl. Tersest.] [L. tersus, p. p. of tergere to rub or wipe off.]

1. Appearing as if rubbed or wiped off; rubbed; smooth; polished. [Obs.]

Many stones, . . . although terse and smooth, have not this power attractive. --Sir T. Browne.

2. Refined; accomplished; -- said of persons. [R. & Obs.] "Your polite and terse gallants." --Massinger.

3. Elegantly concise; free of superfluous words; polished to smoothness; as, terse language; a terse style.

Terse, luminous, and dignified eloquence. --Macaulay.

A poet, too, was there, whose verse Was tender, musical, and terse. --Longfellow.

Syn: Neat; concise; compact.

Usage: Terse, Concise. Terse was defined by Johnson "cleanly written", i. e., free from blemishes, neat or smooth. Its present sense is "free from excrescences," and hence, compact, with smoothness, grace, or elegance, as in the following lones of Whitehead:

"In eight terse lines has Ph[ae]drus told (So frugal were the bards of old) A tale of goats; and closed with grace, Plan, moral, all, in that short space." It differs from concise in not implying, perhaps, quite as much condensation, but chiefly in the additional idea of "grace or elegance." -- Terse"ly, adv. -- Terse"ness, n.

View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web