Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
brief

more about brief

brief


  6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brief  \Brief\,  a.  [OE.  bref,  F.  brief,  bref,  fr  L.  brevis;  akin 
  to  Gr  ?  short,  and  perh.  to  Skr.  barh  to  tear.  Cf  {Breve}.] 
  1.  Short  in  duration. 
 
  How  brief  the  life  of  man.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Concise;  terse;  succinct. 
 
  The  brief  style  is  that  which  expresseth  much  in 
  little.  --B.  Jonson 
 
  3.  Rife;  common;  prevalent.  [Prov.  Eng.] 
 
  {In  brief}.  See  under  {Brief},  n. 
 
  Syn:  Short;  concise;  succinct;  summary;  compendious; 
  condensed;  terse;  curt;  transitory;  short-lived. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brief  \Brief\,  adv 
  1.  Briefly.  [Obs.  or  Poetic] 
 
  Adam,  faltering  long,  thus  answered  brief.  --Milton. 
 
  2.  Soon;  quickly.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brief  \Brief\  (br[=e]f),  n.  [See  {Brief},  a.,  and  cf  {Breve}.] 
  1.  A  short  concise  writing  or  letter;  a  statement  in  few 
  words 
 
  Bear  this  sealed  brief,  With  winged  hastle,  to  the 
  lord  marshal.  --Shak. 
 
  And  she  told  me  In  a  sweet,  verbal  brief.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  An  epitome. 
 
  Each  woman  is  a  brief  of  womankind.  --Overbury. 
 
  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. 
 
  It  was  not  without  some  reference  to  it  that  I 
  perused  many  a  brief.  --Sir  J. 
  Stephen. 
 
  Note:  In  England,  the  brief  is  prepared  by  the  attorney;  in 
  the  United  States,  counsel  generally  make  up  their  own 
  briefs. 
 
  4.  (Law)  A  writ;  a  breve.  See  {Breve},  n.,  2. 
 
  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. 
 
  6.  A  letter  patent,  from  proper  authority,  authorizing  a 
  collection  or  charitable  contribution  of  money  in 
  churches,  for  any  public  or  private  purpose.  [Eng.] 
 
  {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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brief  \Brief\,  v.  t. 
  To  make  an  abstract  or  abridgment  of  to  shorten;  as  to 
  brief  pleadings. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  brief 
  adj  1:  of  short  duration;  "a  brief  stay  in  the  country";  "in  a 
  little  while"  [syn:  {little}] 
  2:  concise  and  succinct;  "covered  the  matter  in  a  brief 
  statement" 
  3:  (of  clothing)  very  short;  "an  abbreviated  swimsuit";  "a 
  brief  bikini"  [syn:  {abbreviated}] 
  n  1:  a  document  stating  the  facts  and  points  of  law  of  a  client's 
  case  [syn:  {legal  brief}] 
  2:  a  condensed  written  summary  or  abstract 
  v  :  give  essential  information  to  someone  "The  reporters  were 
  briefed  about  the  President's  plan  to  invade" 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  BRIEF 
  Basic  Reconfigurable  Interactive  Editing  Facility 
 
 




more about brief