Definition of Brief

1. Noun. A document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case.

Exact synonyms: Legal Brief
Generic synonyms: Instrument, Legal Document, Legal Instrument, Official Document
Specialized synonyms: Amicus Curiae Brief
Category relationships: Jurisprudence, Law

2. Verb. Give essential information to someone. "The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade"
Generic synonyms: Apprise, Apprize, Instruct
Derivative terms: Briefing

3. Adjective. Of short duration or distance. "A brief stay in the country"
Similar to: Short
Derivative terms: Brevity, Briefness

4. Noun. A condensed written summary or abstract.
Generic synonyms: Abstract, Outline, Precis, Synopsis

5. Adjective. Concise and succinct. "Covered the matter in a brief statement"
Similar to: Concise
Derivative terms: Brevity, Briefness

6. Adjective. (of clothing) very short. "A brief bikini"
Exact synonyms: Abbreviated
Similar to: Short

Definition of Brief

1. a. Short in duration.

2. adv. Briefly.

3. n. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words.

4. v. t. To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.

Definition of Brief

1. Adjective. Of short duration; happening quickly. (defdate from 15th c.) ¹

2. Adjective. Concise; taking few words. (defdate from 15th c.) ¹

3. Adjective. Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short. (defdate from 17th c.) ¹

4. Noun. (legal) An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court. ¹

5. Noun. (informal) A short news story or report. ¹

6. Noun. (obsolete) A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract. ¹

7. Verb. (transitive) To knowledgeably summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive legal) To write a legal argument and submit it to a court. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Brief

1. short [v -ED, -ING, -S] - See also: short

Medical Definition of Brief

1. 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. 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. A writ; a breve. See Breve. 5. A writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorising 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, authorising a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. Apostolical brief, a letter of the pope written on fine parchment in modern characters, subscribed by the secretary of briefs, dated "a die Nativitatis," i. E, "from the day of the Nativity," and sealed with the ring of the fisherman. It differs from a bull, in its parchment, written character, date, and seal. See Bull. Brief of title, an abstract or abridgment of all the deeds and other papers constituting the chain of title to any real estate. In brief, in a few words; in short; briefly. "Open the matter in brief." See: Brief, and cf. Breve. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Brief

bridle up
bridled
bridleless
bridlelike
bridlepath
bridlepaths
bridler
bridlers
bridles
bridleway
bridleways
bridling
bridoon
bridoons
brie
brief (current term)
brief psychiatric rating scale
brief psychotherapy
brief reactive psychosis
briefcase
briefcase bomb
briefcase computer
briefcases
briefe
briefed
briefer
briefers
briefest
briefing
briefing note

Literary usage of Brief

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Proceedings by Philadelphia County Medical Society (1897)
"Although a full report of the following investigations will be published later, it may perhaps be of interest to those present to hear a brief statement of ..."

2. Dictionary of National Biography by LESLIE. STEPHEN (1901)
"In 1831 it was decided that he should become a schoolmaster, and he accordingly went through a brief course of training at the college of the British and ..."

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