Brief

Brief
Brief Brief (br[=e]f), n. [See {Brief}, a., and cf. {Breve}.] 1. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words. [1913 Webster]

Bear this sealed brief, With winged hastle, to the lord marshal. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

And she told me In a sweet, verbal brief. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. An epitome. [1913 Webster]

Each woman is a brief of womankind. --Overbury. [1913 Webster]

3. (Law) 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. [1913 Webster]

It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief. --Sir J. Stephen. [1913 Webster]

Note: In England, the brief is prepared by the attorney; in the United States, counsel generally make up their own briefs. [1913 Webster]

4. (Law) A writ; a breve. See {Breve}, n., 2. [1913 Webster]

5. (Scots Law) 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. [1913 Webster]

6. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. [Eng.] [1913 Webster]

7. pl. a type of men's underpants without legs, fitting tightly and held by an elastic waistband; also called {Jockey shorts}. [PJC]

{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.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • brief — 1 n [Old French bref brief letter, writ indicating legal proceedings, from Late Latin brevis breve short document, summary, from Latin brevis, adjective, short] 1: a concise statement of a client s case written for the instruction of an attorney… …   Law dictionary

  • brief — adj Brief, short are the most comprehensive adjectives in English meaning not long. Brief refers pri marily to duration; short, to either duration or linear extent {a brief interview} {a short sermon} {a short distance} {short legs} …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • brief — [brēf] adj. [ME < OFr bref < L brevis < IE base * mreĝhu , short > MERRY, Gr brachys] 1. of short duration or extent 2. short in length 3. using relatively few words; concise 4. curt or abrupt n. [ …   English World dictionary

  • Brief — or briefs may refer: * Brief (law), a number of formal document types * Brief (text editor), a popular text editor for the MS DOS operating system * a letter * Brief (architecture), a requirement imposed by a client on an architect * Briefs, a… …   Wikipedia

  • Brief — der; (e)s, e; 1 eine meist relativ lange, persönliche schriftliche Mitteilung in einem Umschlag, die man an jemanden schickt <jemandem / an jemanden einen Brief schreiben; einen Brief diktieren, frankieren, einwerfen, per / als Einschreiben… …   Langenscheidt Großwörterbuch Deutsch als Fremdsprache

  • Brief — (br[=e]f), a. [OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. brachy s short, and perh. to Skr. barh to tear. Cf. {Breve}.] 1. Short in duration. [1913 Webster] How brief the life of man. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Concise; terse; succinct.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Brief — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Se conoce como brief a la información que la empresa envía a la agencia de publicidad para que genere una comunicación. Tiene que existir una relación estrecha y de confianza entre la empresa y la agencia de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Brief — Sm std. (9. Jh.), mhd. brief, ahd. briaf, as. brēf n Entlehnung. Wie afr. brēf n., anord. bréf n. frühe Entlehnung aus l. breve n. kurzes Schreiben (zu l. brevis kurz ). Dabei geht g. ē2 auf gedehntes l. e zurück, f ist der Reflex von bereits… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • brief — brief; brief·less; brief·ly; brief·ness; de·brief; …   English syllables

  • Brief — Brief: Mit der Buchstabenschrift, die die Germanen durch die Römer kennenlernten – die kulturgeschichtlichen Zusammenhänge sind unter ↑ schreiben aufgezeigt –, strömte eine Fülle von fremden Bezeichnungen aus dem Lat. in unseren Sprachbereich.… …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

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