*rief*

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 ]

v. to interrogate (a person who has recently experienced an event), to obtain information about that experience; -- used especially of military pilots or diplomatic agents who have just returned from a mission. [ PJC ]

n. [ OE. grief, gref, OF. grief, gref, F. grief, L. gravis heavy; akin to Gr. bary`s, Skr. guru, Goth. kaúrus. Cf. Barometer, Grave, a., Grieve, Gooroo. ] 1. Pain of mind on account of something in the past; mental suffering arising from any cause, as misfortune, loss of friends, misconduct of one's self or others, etc.; sorrow; sadness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mother was so afflicted at the loss of a fine boy, . . . that she died for grief of it. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cause of sorrow or pain; that which afficts or distresses; trial; grievance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be factious for redress of all these griefs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Physical pain, or a cause of it; malady. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This grief (cancerous ulcers) hastened the end of that famous mathematician, Mr. Harriot. Wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

To come to grief, to meet with calamity, accident, defeat, ruin, etc., causing grief; to turn out badly. [ Colloq. ]

Syn. -- Affiction; sorrow; distress; sadness; trial; grievance. Grief, Sorrow, Sadness. Sorrow is the generic term; grief is sorrow for some definite cause -- one which commenced, at least, in the past; sadness is applied to a permanent mood of the mind. Sorrow is transient in many cases; but the grief of a mother for the loss of a favorite child too often turns into habitual sadness. “Grief is sometimes considered as synonymous with sorrow; and in this case we speak of the transports of grief. At other times it expresses more silent, deep, and painful affections, such as are inspired by domestic calamities, particularly by the loss of friends and relatives, or by the distress, either of body or mind, experienced by those whom we love and value.” Cogan. See Affliction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of grief or sorrow. Sackville. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without grief. Huloet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Heartache; sorrow. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Proof. [ Obs. ] Spenser. Lydgate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Repreve. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Reave. ] Robbery. [ Obs. or Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Same as Sea letter. [ 1913 Webster ]