Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a brief manner; concisely; in few words.
  • With little length; shortly: as, in entom., briefly pilose, hairy, or spinous.

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

  • adverb Concisely; in few words.

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

  • adverb manner In a brief manner, summarily.
  • adverb duration For a brief period.
  • adverb speech act To be brief, in short.

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

  • adverb in a concise manner; in a few words
  • adverb for a short time

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

brief +‎ -ly, perhaps a calque of Old French briement

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Examples

  • Dr. Walters examined her expression briefly and then made his diagnosis.

    Under a Maui Moon Robin Jones Gunn 2010

  • Dr. Walters examined her expression briefly and then made his diagnosis.

    Under a Maui Moon Robin Jones Gunn 2010

  • Dr. Walters examined her expression briefly and then made his diagnosis.

    Under a Maui Moon Robin Jones Gunn 2010

  • Dr. Walters examined her expression briefly and then made his diagnosis.

    Under a Maui Moon Robin Jones Gunn 2010

  • BLITZER: Let's make the term briefly to the CIA leak.

    CNN Transcript Oct 19, 2005 2005

  • It was then that his name briefly surfaced in connection with the Montreal Expo's official Canadian pavilion, which he designed in collaboration with Toronto colleagues Dick Williams and Colin Vaughan.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed JOHN BENTLEY MAYS 2012

  • The title briefly stopped its publication berween April and June 2009, due to losses.

    New Statesman 2010

  • The title briefly stopped its publication berween April and June 2009, due to losses.

    New Statesman 2010

  • He showed her the title briefly, and then put the book back down.

    The Overton Window Glenn Beck 2010

  • He showed her the title briefly, and then put the book back down.

    The Overton Window Glenn Beck 2010

Comments

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  • "There's a foreign body in my cheese", said Tom briefly.

    December 8, 2007