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Brief - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Brief : adj
1: of short duration or distance; "a brief stay in the
country"; "in a little while"; "it's a little way
away" [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]
(noun)
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
(verb)
1: give essential information to someone; "The reporters were
briefed about the President's plan to invade"
Based on WordNet 2.0
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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.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Brief : \Brief\, adv.
1. Briefly. [Obs. or Poetic]
Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. --Milton.
2. Soon; quickly. [Obs.] --Shak.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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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.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Brief : \Brief\, v. t.
To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to
brief pleadings.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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BRIEF, eccl. law. The name of a kind of papal rescript. Briefs are writings
sealed with wax, and differ in this respect from bulls, (q. v.) which are
scaled with lead. They are so called, because they usually are short
compendious writings. Ayl. Parerg. 132. See Breve.
Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:
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BRIEF, practice. An abridged statement of a party's case.
2. It should contain : 1st. A statement of the names of the parties,
and of their residence and occupation, the character in which they sue and
are sued, and wherefore they prosecute or resist the action. 2d. An
abridgment of all the pleadings. 3d. A regular, chronological, and
methodical statement of the facts in plain common language. 4th. A summary
of the points or questions in issue, and of the proof which is to support
such issues, mentioning specially the names of the witnesses by which the
facts are to be proved, or if there be written evidence, an abstract of such
evidence. 5th. The personal character of the witnesses should be mentioned;
whether the moral character is good or bad, whether they are naturally timid
or over-zealous, whether firm or wavering. 6th. If known, the evidence of
the opposite party, and such facts as are adapted to oppose, confute, or
repel it. Perspicuity and conciseness are the most desirable qualities of a
brief, but when the facts are material they cannot be too numerous when the
argument is pertinent and weighty, it cannot be too extended.
3.Brief : is also used in the sense of breve. (q. v.)
Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:
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Brief : Basic Reconfigurable Interactive Editing Facility
Based on Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (Version 1.9, June 2002) [Acronyms_Dictionary]:
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Brief :
A brief story.
Based on Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (Version 1.9, June 2002) [Acronyms_Dictionary]:
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