BRIEFLY

briefly

(adverb) for a short time; “she visited him briefly”; “was briefly associated with IBM”

concisely, briefly, shortly, in brief, in short

(adverb) in a concise manner; in a few words; “the history is summed up concisely in this book”; “she replied briefly”; “briefly, we have a problem”; “to put it shortly”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

briefly (comparative more briefly, superlative most briefly)

(manner) In a brief manner, summarily.

(duration) For a brief period.

To be brief, in short.

Synonyms

• (for a brief period): fleetingly, temporarily, transiently; see also temporarily

Source: Wiktionary


Brief"ly, adv.

Definition: Concisely; in few words.

BRIEF

Brief, a. Etym: [OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. 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; transistory; short-lived.

Brief, adv.

1. Briefly. [Obs. or Poetic] Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. Milton.

2. Soon; quickly. [Obs.] Shak.

Brief, n. Etym: [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)

Definition: 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)

Definition: A writ; a breve. See Breve, n., 2.

5. (Scots Law)

Definition: 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.

Brief, v. t.

Definition: To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

30 December 2024

DELUSIVE

(adjective) inappropriate to reality or facts; “delusive faith in a wonder drug”; “delusive expectations”; “false hopes”


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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