Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
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brief

adjective · noun · verb US /briːf/

of short duration or distance

How often you will meet it

Rank 1,707 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,608 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.

What it means

adjective

  1. of short duration or distance a brief stay in the country
  2. concise and succinct covered the matter in a brief statement
  3. (of clothing) very short also: abbreviated an abbreviated swimsuita brief bikini

noun

  1. a document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case also: legal brief
  2. a condensed written summary or abstract

verb

  1. give essential information to someone The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

brief in real books

Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.

  • It was brief and to the point.

    The Little Nugget · P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse · Chapter 1

  • The needed addition--this much at least chiming with good luck--is brief.

    Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice · James Branch Cabell · Chapter 1

  • He was just then completing a brief inventory of all the papers found in the old desk.

    Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1

  • In brief, the cruel god doth never from me go, But makes my lasting love eternal with my woe.

    Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia · Martha Foote [Editor] Crow · Chapter 1

  • And thou, too, whosoe'er thou art, That readest this brief psalm, As one by one thy hopes depart, Be resolute and calm.

    The Complete Poetical Works of Henry · Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Chapter 1

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