The Open Dictionary

brief

noun

UK/briːf/
US/briːf/

Definitions of brief noun

information

  1. Countable

    a set of instructions or information

    • My task was to ensure that all the facts were accurately recorded.

    • They provided me with a brief about the project.

    • The brief detailed all the steps we needed to complete.

legal

  1. Countablelawspecialized

    a document or set of documents containing the details about a court case

    • The lawyer carefully reviewed the case brief in preparation for the upcoming trial.

    • The document contains all relevant case information such as evidence and testimonies.

    • The judge requested a detailed brief before the verdict.

profession

  1. informal

    a lawyer who will speak for someone in a court of law

    • My brief advised me to plead guilty.

    • They hired a well-known brief to represent them in court.

    • My brief presented a strong argument in court.

Phrases of brief noun

  • in brief

    Said or expressed using very few words and omitting minor details.

    • "Did you enjoy the show?" "In brief, no, I didn't."

  • briefs

    A type of underwear, worn by both men and women, that covers the area from the waist to the upper thighs.

    • This store offers a variety of underwear styles, from boxer briefs to classic briefs.

verb

UK/briːf/
US/briːf/

Definitions of brief verb

  1. Transitive

    to give someone detailed instructions or information

    • We had already been briefed about the job requirements.

    • The manager briefed the team on the new policy.

    • We need to brief all participants beforehand.

Phrases of brief verb

  • brief against/in favour of someone/something

    To disclose information about someone or something, often through informal channels, with the intention of criticizing or praising them.

    • It was rumored that the company's executives briefed against the launch of the new product to the media.

adjective

UK/briːf/
US/briːf/

Definitions of brief adjective

duration

  1. B1

    lasting only a short time or containing few words

    • Fortunately, his acceptance speech was brief.

    • I took a brief look at her report before the meeting.

    • Our time is short, so it can only be a brief stop.

  2. used to express how quickly time goes past

    • For a few brief weeks, we were very happy.

    • The time went by briefly, and summer ended in a blink of an eye.

    • This brief vacation gave us a lot of energy.

length

  1. (of clothes) very short

    • I recall she was wearing a very brief skirt.

    • The brief top showed her navel.

    • He was wearing very brief sports shorts.