Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
It's a not uncommon noun from the verb "to brief", which means to bring someone up-to-date with information about something.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Little.Egret
The verb seems to be newest, the noun in one meaning (letter from the Pope) is cited from 1289
Also (1631)
a. Law. A summary of the facts of a case, with reference to the points of law supposed to be applicable to them, drawn up for the instruction of counsel conducting the case in court. to hold a brief: to be retained as counsel in a case, to argue a point for
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I think that no one has mentioned the adjectival use of "brief." A "brief" lecture, a "brief" trip, a "brief" stop . . . .
I'm not going to take the time to look it up in a dictionary, but my guess is that it also came from its use as a verb.
I know that this has been a "brief" post, but I don't want to be the one caught for being off topic . . . .
Back sorta on topic, what word
does the British use for "magazine?" What word for "monograph?" "Journal (its use in academic/scholarly circles)?". What words for other paper-based media or e-media, that Americans use but the Brits don't, and vice versa? Any?
As soon as we cover that country, we can talk about New Zealand, Belize, Australia, The Bahamas, part of Canada . . . . .
