Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. brief, legal brief(noun)

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

2. brief(adj)

   a condensed written summary or abstract

3. brief(adj)

   of short duration or distance

   "a brief stay in the country"

4. brief(adj)

   concise and succinct

   "covered the matter in a brief statement"

5. abbreviated, brief(verb)

   (of clothing) very short

   "an abbreviated swimsuit"; "a brief bikini"

6. brief(verb)

   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. brief(Noun)

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

2. brief(Noun)

   A short news story or report.

3. brief(Noun)

   A summary, pru00E9cis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract.

4. brief(Verb)

   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. brief(Verb)

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

6. brief(Adjective)

   Of short duration; happening quickly.

7. brief(Adjective)

   Concise; taking few words.

8. brief(Adjective)

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

Origin: From brief, from brevis. Compare French bref.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Brief(adj)

   short in duration

2. Brief(adj)

   concise; terse; succinct

3. Brief(adj)

   rife; common; prevalent

4. Brief(adverb)

   briefly

5. Brief(adverb)

   soon; quickly

6. Brief(adj)

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

7. Brief(adj)

   an epitome

8. Brief(adj)

   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. Brief(adj)

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

10. Brief(noun)

    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. Brief(noun)

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

12. Brief(verb)

    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.]

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, fibre

2. Fiber

3. Fibre

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

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Fidel Castro:

   We shall endeavor to be brief.

2. Franklin D. Roosevelt:

   Be sincere be brief be seated.

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt:

   Be sincere; be brief; be seated.

4. Horace:

   Whatever advice you give, be brief.

5. Horace:

   Whatever your advice, make it brief.

Images & Illustrations of brief