Middle English Dictionary Entry
brẹ̄f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | brẹ̄f adj. Also breve. |
| Etymology | OF brief, bref, fem. br(i)eve, & L brevis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of time: short, brief; (b) of an action or cause: of short duration, transient; (c) quick-acting, urgent.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5194 : Fele he slouȝ in stounde bref.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)871 : So aftir in breff tyme.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)268 : Me þynk þe put in a mad porpose, & busyez þe aboute a raysoun bref.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.399 : So was the lande..wonne..With siege eche daye, and sautes fell and breue [rime: to eue].
c
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5435 : [Serpents] fellid of his kniȝtis, Þai ware so brefe at a blisch.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)141/23 : I see vppon us light the strokes that ben digne of deth, yiving tokenyng of divine indignacion but yf we seek bref remedie and medicyne [CQ(2): fynde soone a medicyne].
2.
(a) Short, concise, abridged (discourse, composition, document); few (words); (b) in ~ [OF en brieve], in few words; in brief, briefly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)820 : Whanne he hadde told him þus wordes breue.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.9.28 : A woord..abbreggande in equitee..a breef woord þe lord shal make vp on þe erþe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2350 : Now wol I shortly heere reherce..the wordis litel greve A man to kepe, whanne it is breve.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)19/30 : For þi sal yure vrisun be breue & clene.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3640 : Afftyr mete we tooke leue, He spak to vs wordes breue.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)74 : Cornelius..translated it into latyn..he brought it so breff..Þat no lede might have likyng to loke þerappon.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)6 : This breefe compendious tretice shalle conteynene xvii Chapptris.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)533 : No man ne may telle yn bok breue The lady care.
b
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6:Morton)122 fn. : To settin wordis o bref.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)282 : Mavon Gafe him counsel, in breefe, To fille the Dikes.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.127 : Off quhich ryght thus hir ansuer was, in bref.
3.
(a) Of size: small, short, shallow; (b) shallow (mind).
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Of a mon (Hrl 2253)56 : Þis mon þat Matheu ȝef a peny þat wes so bref.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.226 : The best [vine] is lyke a bosh ythied breef.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.552 : In delues breef this cannes eyon do.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.71 : Men of pover and breve [L brevis] intellecte [Trev.: schort witted men].