brevi-, brev- [brie-, bri-] +

Short flowered.

Having short leaves.

Depicting a body that is shorter and broader than usual: Mary's neighbor was very short and stocky for his age and was described by his doctor as having a brevilineal body structure.

With a short tongue or having a short tongue.

1. Speaking briefly or concisely; laconic.
2. Brevity, or shortness, of speech.

Given to concise, or brief, speaking.

Having short feet: There are some people who have brevipeds that are smaller than normal.

A short-winged bird.

Applied to birds which can not fly, because of their short wings; such as, the ostrich, cassowary, and emu.

The cassowary is a large black, flightless bird, with colorful wattles and a large bony head shield, that resembles an ostrich or emu. It is native to northeastern Australia and New Guinea.

Wattles refer to the fleshy wrinkled and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck, chin, or throat, of certain birds (chickens and turkeys) or lizards.

Short-billed; having a short beak.

A reference to a bird that has a short bill or beak.

Translation: "When I try to be brief, I become obscure. Aiming at smoothness, I fail in force and fire."

From Ars Poetica, by Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) who was instructing writers that it may be difficult to achieve brevity without sacrificing clarity.

1. Shortness, especially as applied to time.
2. Being short in speech or writing; contraction into few words, conciseness, terseness.

1. A synopsis of a larger document or group of documents.
2. A briefing, or the information conveyed during a briefing, which is of short duration, and quickly ending: "The chairman's brief was short and concise."
3. A short statement or account of something that is, or could be, more fully treated; an abridgement, an abstract, or a summary: "The TV reporter gave a news brief about the earth quake."
4. An outline of how a legal case will be argued, together with evidence and supporting statements, submitted by an attorney to a court before a trial in court: "The lawyer provided the court his legal brief."
5. An outline of one side of a legal case for an attorney, containing the evidence and points of law that are related to the argument of the case.

1. Lasting for only a short period of time: "They were told that the meeting would be brief."

"He worked on that job for the briefest time last year."

2. Using just a few words: "She promised to be briefer than the previous speaker."

"The man wants to have a brief word with you."

1. To give essential information to someone: "The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to run for another term."
2. To give someone all of the necessary information about something in preparation for a discussion or decision that will come later: "The President has been briefed by his economic advisers."
3. When someone briefs a person, or a group of people, he or she is providing information or instructions that are necessary for the recipient or recipients: "The captain of the ship briefed the crew about the new safety procedures."