brief
/briːf/ (bre, ipa) · /briːf/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrēf/ (ame, mw)
brief — 形容詞
1. taking little time, or expressed with only the main words and no extra detail.
短暫；簡短
時間不長，或只講主要內容
taking little time, or expressed with only the main words and no extra detail.
The doctor gave a brief answer before hurrying to the next room.
那位醫師只簡短回答了一句，就急忙趕去下一個病房。
brief + answer for few words
Our meeting was brief because the train strike started at noon.
我們的會議很短暫，因為中午火車罷工就開始了。
brief + event for short duration
Bao sent a brief email saying the package would arrive tomorrow.
Bao 寄了一封簡短的電子郵件，說包裹明天會到。
After a brief pause, the singer walked back onto the stage.
短暫停頓後，那名歌手又走回舞台上。
文法句型
brief meeting
brief answer
brief email
brief pause
用法筆記
Common with nouns for time, speech, writing, and events. Distinguish from adjective/2, which adds the feeling that the time passed faster than expected.
常見錯誤
2. used to say that a period of time seemed to pass very quickly, often faster than
轉眼即逝
表示一段時間一下就過了
used to say that a period of time seemed to pass very quickly, often faster than you wanted.
The Watanabe family's week in Hualien felt brief once school started again.
一開學，Watanabe 一家更覺得在花蓮那一週轉眼即逝。
time period + felt brief
Summer always seems brief when the beach is finally warm enough.
每到海邊終於暖得能下水時，夏天總顯得轉眼即逝。
season + seems brief
That quiet hour with Grandpa was brief and deeply precious.
和爺爺安靜共度的那一小時轉眼就過，而且格外珍貴。
After months of planning and saving, the holiday seemed brief.
規劃和存錢好幾個月後，那個假期還是顯得轉眼即逝。
- fleeting
more literary and strongly suggests passing very quickly
- short-lived
focuses on not lasting long, especially experiences or feelings
- passing
suggests something temporary, often in a reflective tone
- endless
seems to continue for a very long time
文法句型
visit + felt brief
summer + seemed brief
hour + was brief
用法筆記
Usually follows nouns for periods such as 'visit', 'holiday', 'summer', or 'childhood'. Distinguish from adjective/1: adjective/1 measures length, while this sense comments on how fast the time seemed to go.
3. describing clothes cut very high or small, so they leave a lot of skin visible.
清涼；暴露
形容衣服很短，露出較多肌膚
describing clothes cut very high or small, so they leave a lot of skin visible.
Imani chose a brief silver dress for the school's final dance show.
Imani 挑了一件清涼的銀色短洋裝，穿去學校的期末舞蹈秀。
brief + clothing item
In the shop window, a brief tennis skirt hung above neon trainers.
店家櫥窗裡，一件清涼網球短裙掛在亮色運動鞋上方。
brief + clothing item in fashion display
Her stage costume was so brief that she added a long coat.
她的舞台服裝太過暴露，所以又加了一件長外套。
The magazine praised the brief bikini top in its summer style guide.
那本雜誌在夏季穿搭特輯裡稱讚那件清涼比基尼上衣。
- long
covers more of the body or legs
文法句型
brief dress
brief shorts
brief top
brief costume
用法筆記
Mainly used with clothes such as dresses, skirts, shorts, or tops. It often comments on style and can sound approving or critical depending on context.
brief — 動詞
1. to tell a person the important facts or directions they need before a task, even
交代；簡報
先說明任務需要的重點資訊
to tell a person the important facts or directions they need before a task, event, or decision.
Before dawn, the coach briefed the rowers on the river conditions.
天還沒亮時，教練就向划船隊交代河面狀況。
brief + person on + topic
New staff were briefed about fire exits during the first hour.
新進員工在第一小時就被告知逃生出口在哪裡。
passive: be briefed about
The editor briefed Noa on the mayor's evening interview.
編輯向 Noa 說明了市長晚間訪談的重點。
At the gate, police briefed fans on the new bag rules.
在入口處，警方先向球迷交代新的包包規定。
- mislead
to give information that causes wrong understanding
文法句型
brief + person on + topic
brief + person about + topic
be briefed on + topic
用法筆記
The object is usually a person or group, and the topic often follows with 'on' or 'about'. It is frequent in workplace, military, police, and news contexts, and passive forms are very common.
常見錯誤
2. to pass selected facts to reporters or the public in order to improve or damage
放話
公開消息來捧或打壓對象
to pass selected facts to reporters or the public in order to improve or damage how a person or plan is seen.
Before the vote, party aides briefed against the transport minister.
投票前，黨內幕僚放話批評交通部長。
brief against + person
After the leak, senior officials briefed against the housing plan in breakfast interviews.
消息外洩後，高層官員在早餐節目訪談中放話打擊那項住宅計畫。
brief against + policy
Unnamed advisers briefed for the rail link in late-night calls to reporters.
幾名未具名顧問深夜打電話給記者，放話力挺那條鐵路連線。
Before dawn, two ministers briefed for the budget deal in calls to reporters.
天亮前，兩位部長打電話向記者放話，替那項預算協議護航。
- withhold comment
to refuse to release information publicly
文法句型
brief against + person
brief against + plan
brief for + policy
用法筆記
Most often appears as 'brief against' or 'brief for' in political or media reporting. Unlike verb/1, this sense is strategic and aims to shape public opinion rather than simply explain key facts.
brief — 名詞
1. a very short way of stating something that gives only the main points, usually i
簡言之
用很少細節快速說明重點
a very short way of stating something that gives only the main points, usually in the phrase 'in brief'.
In brief, the storm damaged three boats and closed the harbor.
簡言之，那場暴風雨毀了三艘船，還讓港口關閉。
fixed phrase: in brief
The leaflet states, in brief, that all bags are checked.
那張傳單簡言之就是，所有包包都要接受檢查。
The night manager's note, in brief, said the front doors stay locked.
夜班經理的便條簡言之就是，前門會一直鎖著。
The article, in brief, warns parents about false school messages.
那篇文章簡單說來，是在提醒家長注意假的學校訊息。
- detail
a single small fact rather than a short overall statement
文法句型
in brief
noun phrase, in brief, + clause
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'in brief', especially in writing, reports, and presentations. Distinguish from adjective/1, which directly describes something as short.
常見錯誤
2. close-fitting underpants that reach from the waist to the upper thighs.
三角褲
包住腰部到腿根的貼身內褲
close-fitting underpants that reach from the waist to the upper thighs.
Rohan packed two cotton briefs for the three-day hospital stay.
Rohan 為三天住院收進兩件棉質三角褲。
usually plural: briefs
The store sells black briefs near the socks and undershirts.
那家店把黑色三角褲擺在襪子和汗衫旁邊。
After gym class, Kai changed into clean briefs in the locker room.
體育課後，Kai 在更衣室換上乾淨的三角褲。
These swim briefs dry quickly in the sun by the pool.
這件三角泳褲在泳池邊曬一曬，很快就乾了。
- underpants
general everyday word for underwear worn under clothes
- underwear
broader word that includes many kinds, not only this shape
- trunks
a different style, usually with longer legs than briefs
文法句型
cotton briefs
swim briefs
pair of briefs
用法筆記
Usually appears as the plural noun 'briefs' in everyday English. The singular form is mostly seen in shopping language, product labels, or when counting one item.
常見錯誤
3. a short outline giving the aims, instructions, or background for a job or projec
任務說明
交代工作重點與要求的說明
a short outline giving the aims, instructions, or background for a job or project.
The designer read the brief before drawing the first poster idea.
那位設計師先看了任務說明，才開始畫第一張海報草圖。
read the brief for a project
Our brief is to make the app safer for older users.
我們接到的任務說明，是要讓這個 app 對年長使用者更安全。
brief is to + verb
At noon, the team received a brief on tomorrow's factory visit.
中午時，團隊收到一份明天工廠參訪的任務說明。
The charity wrote a clear brief for volunteers at the food bank.
那個慈善機構替食物銀行的志工寫了一份清楚的任務說明。
- instructions
more general and does not suggest a formal document or set of key points
- assignment
focuses more on the task given than on the background information
- outline
suggests a plan or structure rather than full working instructions
文法句型
read the brief
brief is to + verb
receive a brief on + topic
write a brief for + person
用法筆記
Common in work, design, military, and government settings. It can name the document itself or the set of instructions someone receives. Distinguish from verb/1, which is the act of giving the information.
4. the legal papers that give a lawyer the facts and arguments of a court case.
訴訟文件
寫出案情與法律論點的文件
the legal papers that give a lawyer the facts and arguments of a court case.
Before the appeal, the barrister studied the brief and marked key pages.
上訴前，那位出庭律師研讀訴訟文件，還畫出重點頁面。
study the brief in legal context
Court staff couriered the brief to Hana two days before the hearing.
法院人員在開庭前兩天就把訴訟文件快遞給 Hana。
At noon, a clerk added the new witness statement to the brief.
中午時，一名書記員把新的證人陳述加進訴訟文件。
Before court resumed, the judge asked whether the trial brief was complete.
開庭恢復前，法官問那份訴訟文件是否已經齊全。
- case file
broader and may include administrative papers as well
- dossier
a collected set of documents, not specifically for a court argument
- submission
often one formal written argument rather than the whole case packet
文法句型
study the brief
send the brief
add to the brief
用法筆記
Legal use only. Distinguish from noun/5: this sense is the set of case papers, not the lawyer who argues the case.
5. a lawyer chosen to speak for a client in court.
出庭律師
代表當事人在法庭發言的律師
a lawyer chosen to speak for a client in court.
The family hired a skilled brief for the fraud trial.
那家人為這場詐欺審判請了一位經驗老到的出庭律師。
hire a brief
Outside court, the brief spoke quietly with the worried client.
在法院外，那位出庭律師低聲和焦急的當事人交談。
Their new brief asked for every rent receipt from the past year.
他們新請的出庭律師要了過去一整年的房租收據。
After the ruling, Noa thanked her brief on the court steps.
宣判後，Noa 在法院階梯上向她的出庭律師道謝。
文法句型
hire a brief
brief for + case
thank your brief
用法筆記
Chiefly British legal English and much less common than 'barrister' or 'counsel'. Distinguish from noun/4, which means the case papers rather than the lawyer.