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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
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