1
- a short duration短暂的, 短时间的：
the president made a brief working visit to Moscow.
总统对莫斯科作了短暂的工作访问。
1.1
- concise in expression; using few words简洁的, 简明的：
introductions were brief and polite
介绍简洁而又礼貌
be brief and don't talk for longer than is necessary.
简明扼要一点, 别说得过长。
1.2
- (of a piece of clothing) not covering much of the body; scanty（衣着）短的, 短而暴露的：
Alison sported a pair of extremely brief black shorts.
艾里森惹人注目地穿着黑色超短裤。
1
- chiefly Brit. a set of instructions given to a person about a job or task〈主英〉指令, 权责训令：
his brief is to turn round the county's fortunes.
他下令改变这个郡的命运。
1.1
- Law a summary of the facts and legal points in a case given to a barrister to argue in court【律】（供出庭律师用的）案情摘要, 诉讼要点。
1.2
- a piece of work for a barrister辩护状。
1.3
- informal a solicitor or barrister〈非正式〉律师, 法律顾问：
it was only his brief's eloquence that had saved him from prison.
全仗了律师的雄辩才使他免受牢狱之灾。
1.4
- US a written summary of the facts and legal points supporting one side of a case, for presentation to a court〈美〉案情申述（呈交法庭的书面材料）。
1.5
- a letter from the Pope to a person or community on a matter of discipline教皇通谕, 教廷通牒。
with obj.
1- instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task（尤指事前）向…作全面指示（或全面介绍）：
she briefed him on last week's decisions.
她向他介绍了上周决定的基本情况。
1.1
- Brit. instruct (a barrister) by brief〈英〉向（出庭律师）提供案情摘要。
短语
hold a brief for
- Brit. be retained as counsel for〈英〉受聘为…辩护, 当…的辩护律师。
hold no brief for
- not support or argue in favour of不支持; 不为…辩护：
I hold no brief for dishonest policemen.
我不为不诚实的警察辩护。
in brief
- in a few words; in short简言之：
he is, in brief, the embodiment of evil
简言之, 他就是邪恶的化身
the news in brief.
简明新闻。
派生词
briefer
nounbriefly
adverb简而言之, 情节如下…
briefness
noun词源
Middle English: from Old French brief, from Latin brevis 'short'. The noun is via late Latin breve 'note， dispatch'， hence 'an official letter'.