a. [ OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. brachy`s short, and perh. to Skr. barh to tear. Cf. Breve. ] 1. Short in duration. [ 1913 Webster ]

How brief the life of man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Concise; terse; succinct. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brief style is that which expresseth much in little. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Rife; common; prevalent. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In brief. See under Brief, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Short; concise; succinct; summary; compendious; condensed; terse; curt; transitory; short-lived. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Briefly. [ Obs. or Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Soon; quickly. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Brief, a., and cf. Breve. ] 1. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bear this sealed brief,
With winged hastle, to the lord marshal. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And she told me
In a sweet, verbal brief. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An epitome. [ 1913 Webster ]

Each woman is a brief of womankind. Overbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief. Sir J. Stephen. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, the brief is prepared by the attorney; in the United States, counsel generally make up their own briefs. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) A writ; a breve. See Breve, n., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

7. pl. a type of men's underpants without legs, fitting tightly and held by an elastic waistband; also called Jockey shorts. [ PJC ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a small suitcase with a handle; it is used for carrying papers or files or books. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. giving detailed instructions, as for a military operation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a detailed set of instructions before an operation, given to those who are to execute it. [ PJC ]

3. a summary report of an operation or event after it has occurred, by a participant or observer. [ PJC ]

a. Having no brief; without clients; as, a briefless barrister. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Concisely; in few words. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who makes a brief. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A copier of a manuscript. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being brief; brevity; conciseness in discourse or writing. [ 1913 Webster ]