Definitions for brief
brifbrief

Princeton's WordNet(2.67 / 9 votes)Rate this definition:

1. brief, legal briefnoun

   a document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case

2. briefadjective

   a condensed written summary or abstract

3. briefadjective

   of short duration or distance

   "a brief stay in the country"

4. briefadjective

   concise and succinct

   "covered the matter in a brief statement"

5. abbreviated, briefverb

   (of clothing) very short

   "an abbreviated swimsuit"; "a brief bikini"

6. briefverb

   give essential information to someone

   "The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade"

Wiktionary(2.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. briefnoun

   An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court.

2. briefnoun

   A short news story or report.

3. briefnoun

   A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract.

4. briefverb

   To knowledgeably summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power.

   The U.S. president was briefed on the military coup and its implications on African stability.

5. briefverb

   To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.

6. briefadjective

   Of short duration; happening quickly.

7. briefadjective

   Concise; taking few words.

8. briefadjective

   Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.

9. Etymology: From brief, from brevis. Compare French bref.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. BRIEFadjective

   Etymology: brevis, Lat. brief, Fr.

   1. Short; concise. It is now seldom used but of words.

   A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,
   Which is as brief as I have known a play;
   But by ten words, my lord, it is too long,
   Which makes it tedious. William Shakespeare, Midsum. Night’s Dream.

   I will be mild and gentle in my words. ——
   —— And brief, good mother, for I am in haste. William Shakespeare, R. III.

   I must begin with rudiments of art,
   To teach you gamut in a briefer sort,
   More pleasant, pretty, and effectual. William Shakespeare, Tam. Shrew.

   They nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   The brief stile is that which expresseth much in little. Ben Jonson, Discovery.

   If I had quoted more words, I had quoted more profaneness; and therefore Mr. Congreve has reason to thank me for being brief. Jeremy Collier, View of the Stage.

   2. Contracted; narrow.

   The shrine of Venus, or straight pight Minerva,
   Postures beyond brief nature. William Shakespeare, Cymbeline.

2. Briefnoun

   Etymology: brief, Dutch, a letter.

   1. A writing of any kind.

   There is a brief, how many sports are ripe:
   Make choice of which your highness will see first. William Shakespeare.

   The apostolical letters are of a twofold kind and difference, viz. some are called briefs, because they are comprised in a short and compendious way of writing. John Ayliffe, Parergon.

   2. A short extract, or epitome.

   But how you must begin this enterprize,
   I will your highness thus in brief advise. Fairy Queen, b. ii.

   I doubt not but I shall make it plain, as far as a sum or brief can make a cause plain. Francis Bacon, Holy War.

   The brief of this transaction is, these springs that arise here, are impregnated with vitriol. John Woodward, on Fossils.

   3. In law.A writ whereby a man is summoned to answer to any action; or it is any precept of the king in writing, issuing out of any court, whereby he commands any thing to be done. John Cowell4. The writing given the pleaders, containing the case.

   The brief with weighty crimes was charg’d,
   On which the pleader much enlarg’d. Jonathan Swift.

   5. Letters patent, giving licence to a charitable collection for any publick or private loss.6. [In musick.]A measure of quantity, which contains two strokes down in beating time, and as many up. John Harris

Webster Dictionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Briefadjective

   short in duration

2. Briefadjective

   concise; terse; succinct

3. Briefadjective

   rife; common; prevalent

4. Briefadverb

   briefly

5. Briefadverb

   soon; quickly

6. Briefadjective

   a short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words

7. Briefadjective

   an epitome

8. Briefadjective

   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

9. Briefadjective

   a writ; a breve. See Breve, n., 2

10. Briefnoun

    a writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorizing that judge to call a jury to inquire into the case, and upon their verdict to pronounce sentence

11. Briefnoun

    a letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose

12. Briefverb

    to make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings

Freebase(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Brief

   A brief is a written legal document used in various legal adversarial systems that is presented to a court arguing why one party to a particular case should prevail. In England and Wales, the phrase refers to the papers given to a barrister when they are instructed.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Brief

   brēf, n. a short account of a client's case for the instruction of counsel: a writ: a short statement of any kind.—adj. short: concise.—adj. Brief′less.—adv. Brief′ly.—n. Brief′ness.—In brief, in few words.—King's briefs, royal mandates ordering collections to be made in chapels for building churches, &c.; Papal brief, such documents as are issued without some of the solemnities proper to bulls.—The brief and the long (Shak.), the short and the long.—To be brief, to speak in a few words; To hold a brief, to be retained as counsel in a case; To take a brief, to undertake a case. [Fr. bref—L. brevis, short.]

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Brief

   A brief summary of all the facts of a client’s case prepared by a solicitor for the instruction of counsel.

Matched Categories

1. • Instruct
   • Law
   • Legal Document

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'brief' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2192

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'brief' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2470

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'brief' in Adjectives Frequency: #277

Anagrams for brief »

1. fiber

2. fibre

3. bifer

How to pronounce brief?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say brief in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of brief in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of brief in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of brief in a Sentence

1. David Bergstein:

   Structurally they are betting the farm and everything possible to get through these midterms, and they are just opening up the checkbook to do it. ' Public investment shrinks as safety net balloonsWhatever the immediate political impact, if President Joe Biden ultimately signs anything like the proposed program, it would mark a new era in Washington's role in the economy.Over the past 50 years, federal spending, as a share of the nation's economic output, has averaged about 20.6 %, according to calculations by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a centrist group that argues for budgetary restraint. Washington has significantly exceeded that level only in times of crisis : Spending reached 24 % of the nation's gross domestic product during Obama's first term immediately after the 2008 financial crisis and roughly 32 % during the Covid pandemic, federal figures show. ( Federal spending as a share of the economy reached its modern high of more than 40 % at the height of World War II.) Though federal spending over the past half century has remained relatively constant at about one-fifth of the economy, the composition of that spending has shifted dramatically. Over that period, public investment -- defined primarily as federal spending on infrastructure, education and training, and support for research and development -- has declined, while the safety net -- including such payments to individuals as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food assistance and various tax credits for families -- has soared. Its totally different from anything put forward by Obama or Clinton. In terms of any kind of coherent strategic focus theres been nothing like this since the build-out of the suburbs, and the buildup of the educational system.Josh Bivens, research director, Economic Policy InstituteIn 1969, federal figures show, public investment and payments to individuals each consumed nearly one-third of total federal spending, an amount equal to about 6 % of the economy. By 2019, the last year before Washington poured huge sums into the Covid crisis, public investment had fallen to just 12.5 % of Responsible Federal Budget while payments to individuals had grown past 70 %. Public investment now equals only about 2.5 % of the economy, while payments to individuals consume more than five times as much.The exact distribution between public investment and safety net spending in the Democratic plans isn't known, because the party hasn't released details on the funding levels in the $ 3.5 trillion budget blueprint that Senate Democrats recently agreed on. But it's clear that the proposal -- coupled with the bipartisan infrastructure agreement advancing on a separate track -- would represent a huge expansion on both fronts.The infusion of new money for public investment might be most striking, given how steadily it has lost ground in federal priorities. Public investment fell from about 30 % of federal spending in the late 1960s to about 20 % by the late 1970s and 15 % by the mid-1990s, a plateau from which it's since drifted further down except for a brief recovery under Obama's first-term stimulus plan. The budget plans Senate Democrats are advancing would provide a more lasting turnaround. The bipartisan plan would spend almost $ 600 billion on.

2. Elijah Cummings:

   There is simply no valid legal basis to interfere with this duly authorized subpoena from Congress, this complaint reads more like political talking points than a reasoned legal brief, and it contains a litany of inaccurate information.

3. Horace:

   Whatever advice you give, be brief.

4. President Trump:

   I want them to think whatever they think, i did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying theyre seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly.

5. Tom Brokaw:

   I met with Linda Vester on two occasions, both at her request, 23 years ago, because she wanted advice with respect to her career at NBC, the meetings were brief, cordial and appropriate, and despite Linda’s allegations, I made no romantic overtures towards her, at that time or any other.

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