brief

[[t]bri͟ːf[/t]]

♦♦

briefer, briefest, briefs, briefing, briefed

1) ADJ-GRADED Something that is brief lasts for only a short time.

She once made a brief appearance on television...

This time their visit is brief.

Syn:

short

Ant:

lengthy

2) ADJ-GRADED A brief speech or piece of writing does not contain too many words or details.

In a brief statement, he concentrated entirely on international affairs...

Write a very brief description of a typical problem.

Syn:

concise

3) ADJ-GRADED: v-link ADJ If you are brief, you say what you want to say in as few words as possible.

Now please be brief - my time is valuable...

I hope to be brief and to the point.

Syn:

succinct

4) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n (emphasis) You can describe a period of time as brief if you want to emphasize that it is very short.

For a few brief minutes we forgot the anxiety and anguish.

Ant:

long

5) N-PLURAL: also a pair of N Men's or women's underpants can be referred to as briefs.

6) VERB If someone briefs you, especially about a piece of work or a serious matter, they give you information that you need before you do it or consider it.

[V n] A Defense Department spokesman briefed reporters...

[V n] The Prime Minister has been briefed by her parliamentary aides.

Syn:

fill in

7) N-COUNT: oft N to-inf If someone gives you a brief, they officially give you responsibility for dealing with a particular thing. [mainly BRIT, FORMAL]

...customs officials with a brief to stop foreign porn coming into Britain.

Syn:

responsibility

8) → See also , briefing

9) PHRASE: n PHR If you refer to something in brief, you are referring to a shortened version of it with few details.

...and now sport in brief.

10) PHRASE: PHR with cl You can say in brief to indicate that you are about to say something in as few words as possible or to give a summary of what you have just said.

In brief, take no risks.

Phrasal Verbs:

- brief against

Syn:

in short

Ant:

in full