brief
Of short duration; happening quickly.
Adjective 3 meanings
Of short duration; happening quickly.
“Her reign was brief but spectacular.”
Concise; taking few words.
“His speech of acceptance was brief but moving.”
Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.
Noun 4 meanings
A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate.
An answer to any action.
A memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
A position of interest or advocacy.
Verb 2 meanings
To summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power.
“The U.S. president was briefed on the military coup and its implications on African stability.”
To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.
Etymology
From Middle English breef, breve, bref, from Old French brief, bref, from Latin brevis (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus (“short, brief”). Doublet of breve and merry.
Similar and opposite words
BRIEF at a glance
BRIEF has 5 letters and scores 10 points in Scrabble (B 3 + R 1 + I 1 + E 1 + F 4) and 11 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #2,819 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with brief
All rhymesOne letter away
- GRIEF9
- BRIER7
- BRIES7
- PRIEF10
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