brief /brēf/

1. Short in duration
2. (now usu of clothing) short in length or extent, scanty, skimpy
3. Concise
4. Brusque in manner

1. A summary of a client's case by a solicitor for the instruction of a barrister or counsel (law)
2. A writ
3. A papal brief (qv below)
4. A short statement of any kind
5. A statement of the aims of an advertising campaign, etc
6. Instructions
7. A lawyer, esp a barrister (slang)
8. (in pl) close-fitting legless underpants for men or women

1. To give information or issue instructions to
2. To instruct or retain (a barrister)

(with against) to make known information that will be damaging to someone's reputation or career

briefˈing noun

1. The action, or an instance, of making or giving a brief
2. Instructions or information imparted

briefˈless adjective

briefˈly adverb

briefˈness noun

briefˈ-bag noun

The bag in which a barrister carries his or her briefs to and from court

briefˈcase noun

A small case for carrying briefs, or for documents in general

hold a brief (law)

1. To be retained as counsel
2. (with for) to argue for, to champion

hold no brief for

Not to support or advocate

in brief

In few words

king's brief (historical)

A royal mandate ordering collections to be made in churches for specified charitable purposes

papal brief

A less formal papal document than a bull

take a brief

To undertake a case

the brief and the long (Shakespeare)

The short and the long

to be brief

In order to speak in few words

• bald-head
• bald-headed
• bald-heads
• baldicoot
• baldie
• baldies
• balding
• baldish
• baldly
• baldmoney
• baldmoneys
• baldness
• baldnesses
• baldpate
• baldpated
• baldpates
• baldric
• baldrick
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• Baldwin
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• Balearic