brief

Meaning

Adj

1. Of short duration; happening quickly.
2. Concise; taking few words.
3. Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.
4. (obsolete) Rife; common; prevalent.

Noun

1. A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate.
2. An answer to any action.
3. A memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
4. A position of interest or advocacy.
5. An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court.
6. The material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who is counsel for the case.
7. (slang) A barrister who is counsel for a party in a legal action.
8. A short news story or report.
9. underwear briefs.
10. (obsolete) A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract.
11. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose.
12. (slang) A ticket of any type.

Verb

1. To summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power.
2. To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.

Adv

1. (obsolete) Briefly.
2. (obsolete) Soon; quickly.

Synonyms

short

concise

summary

succinct

terse

momentary

laconic

curt

passing

instruction

fleeting

abstract

digest

transient

instruct

abbreviated

condensed

abrupt

temporary

conclude

precis

summarize

legal brief

resume

lapidary

authorization

make a resume

make a summary

blunt

little

sententious

mandate

nonverbose

complaint

short-term

simple

mentor

abbreviation

briefly

guide

bulletin

impermanent

petition

abridgement

inform

clear

to the point

transitory

warrant

writ

abridgment

docket

report

of short duration

moderate

moment

momentarily

nearly

neat

notify

not long

order

outline

payment order

pithy

pointed

postal order

prospectus

pure

recital

refer

abbreviate

résumé

sawed-off

scanty

script

semaphore

shortening

short-lived

shortness

simplified

simplify

sparing

specifications

specs

squat

staccato

stubby

subsumption

sum up

superficial

superficially

survey

syllabus

synopsis

tabulate

telegraphic

telling

terminate

thumb-nail

usher

virtuous

writing

give instructions

guide on

brief time

encyclic

comprisal

short duration

general outline

short written statement

scribbling block

scope statement

koanlike

requirements

about

account

accustom

acquaint

advertise

aide-memoire

almost

announce

apercu

apprize

authorisation

bluff

breve

briefing

character

clean

commission

compact

compendious

compendium

conciseness

condense

conduct

cursory

cut short

direct

direction

directive

elliptical

epistle

epitome

epitomize

exact

familiarise

favour

file

forgetful

gruff

handwriting

head

help

honest

inclusion

in general

introduce

jerky

lead

letter

limited

marshal

measured

memo

📝

missive

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɹiːf/

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 merry.