adj.短暫的；短期的；簡短的；扼要的

n.摘要；案件陳述

vt.作…的概述；（向…）簡單介紹

There was a brief pause in the conversation. 對話中有短暫的停頓。

We have a tight schedule for your brief visit. I hope you don't mind. 對您短暫的訪問,我們?yōu)槟才诺娜粘毯芫o,希望您不介意。

In the beginning, the teacher gave us a brief introduction about the subject. 開始時,老師給我們做了關(guān)于這門課程的簡短介紹。

I don't want to keep you long, so let me be brief. 我不想浪費大家的時間,就簡明扼要地講幾句吧。

He drew up a brief for his speech. 他起草了一份講話的摘要。

The lawyers declared on a court brief that they will argue Mr. Brown's innocence by reason of insanity. 律師們在呈交法庭的辯護狀上聲明,他們將以神經(jīng)錯亂為由為布朗先生作無罪辯護。

The chairman will brief the Board on the most recent developments. 主席將向董事會概述最近的發(fā)展。

brief的基本意義是“短暫的”,含有“壓縮”的味道。只用于時間而不用于距離。偶爾用于長度時多含有滑稽可笑的意味。

brief還可指內(nèi)容“簡潔的；簡要的”。