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3.31
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briefs noun [ briːfs ]

• short, close-fitting underpants or knickers.
• "a pair of blue briefs"
Similar: underpants, pants, bikini briefs, knickers, Y-fronts, panties, kecks,

brief noun

• a set of instructions given to a person about a job or task.
• "his brief is to turn round the county's fortunes"
Similar: instructions, directions, directives, briefing, information, guidelines, guidance, remit, mandate, rundown, low-down, gen,
• a summary of the facts and legal points in a case given to a barrister to argue in court.
Similar: summary of the facts, case, argument, contention, dossier,
• a letter from the Pope to a person or community on a matter of discipline.

brief verb

• instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task.
• "she briefed him on last week's decisions"
Similar: inform of, tell about, bring up to date on, update on, notify of, advise of, acquaint with, apprise of, give information about, prepare, prime, instruct, direct, guide, give the rundown on, fill in on, put in the picture about, clue in on, clue up about, keep up to speed with, gen up on, give the gen on,
• instruct (a barrister) by brief.
Origin: Middle English: from Old French brief, from Latin brevis ‘short’. The noun is via late Latin breve ‘note, dispatch’, hence ‘an official letter’.


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