Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having no brief: as, a briefless barrister.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having no brief; without clients.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective law Lacking briefs (clients)

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (of lawyers or barristers) lacking clients

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

brief +‎ -less

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Examples

  • Shirker, who has about as much warmth as an eel, made up to Polly years and years ago, and was no bad match for a briefless barrister, as he was then.

    The Book of Snobs 2006

  • Rumpole has been reduced to going to some free law advice place in the East End where he went as a young and briefless barrister.

    Rumpole and the Reign of Terror Mortimer, John 2006

  • But a short time since he was hungry and briefless in some garret of the

    The History of Pendennis 2006

  • Then they had often discussed together the objects of their ambition and future prospects; then Tom Towers was struggling hard to maintain himself, as a briefless barrister, by shorthand reporting for any of the papers that would engage him; then he had not dared to dream of writing leaders for The Jupiter, or canvassing the conduct of Cabinet ministers.

    The Warden 2004

  • She half closed her eyes, and indulged herself in a fascinating picture of a briefless barrister lodged in a garret, writing immortal novels by the light of a farthing dip.

    Night and Day, by Virginia Woolf 2004

  • They had chosen their part, and she had chosen hers, — and had thought that she might climb to the glory of wealth and rank, while they would have to marry hard-working clergymen and briefless barristers.

    The American Senator 2004

  • When Nora Rowley made those comparisons between Mr Hugh Stanbury and Mr Charles Glascock, they were always wound up very much in favour of the briefless barrister.

    He Knew He Was Right 2004

  • He could not dare to face his friends in London as a young briefless barrister.

    Phineas Finn 2004

  • The attorney has always been seen as a briefless lawyer.

    `Highlights' of 7th ANPP Assembly 1990

  • The magazine was not named after the publisher but after its sponsor, Hugh Fraser, a "briefless barrister" and man about town.

    Early Reviews of English Poets John Louis Haney

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