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brief [ brief ]

[
US
briːf ]
[
UK
briːf ]
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TOEIC 500

Adjective

1. Of short duration; not lasting for long.

It consists of regularly scheduled, brief office visits.

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2. Concise in expression; using few words.

A few brief words about the move to Skaggerak in 1902.

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3. (of a piece of clothing) not covering much of the body; scanty.

God, how she wished she were wearing something more than her brief underwear.

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Noun

1. A set of instructions given to a person about a job or task.

He felt that the brief was too abstract.

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2. A summary of the facts and legal points in a case given to a barrister to argue in court.

My brief in this matter arose only some 40 minutes ago.

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3. A piece of work for a barrister.

Indeed, Mr Ross, now in his seventies, is still at his desk, working as a barrister taking briefs.

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4. A solicitor or barrister.

it was only his brief's eloquence that had saved him from prison

5. A written statement of the facts and legal points supporting one side of a case, for presentation to a court.

The brief set forth the argument in six concise points.

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6. A letter from the Pope to a person or community on a matter of discipline.

He has delivered a papal brief recommending it to that prince that he will take the same steps in this matter.

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Verb

1. Instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task.

They'd brief us if there were any serious threats.

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2. Instruct (a barrister) by brief.

That evening his solicitor was briefed by the police as to the circumstances of his arrest.

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Origin

1. Middle English from Old French brief, from Latin brevis ‘short’. The noun is via late Latin breve ‘note, dispatch’, hence ‘an official letter’.

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