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Stewie497 Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Why does brief as a verb mean to give information thoroughly?

When brief as an adjective means not through how is it otherwise when it's used as a verb?
  

Top answer

You meant "thorough", and you seem to be fixated on the word as it relates to the word "brief". "Brief", the adjective, means "short", basically. The verb seems to be a run-of-the-mill example of verbing a noun, from the word for a lawyer's summary.

— Anonymous

  • You meant "thorough", and you seem to be fixated on the word as it relates to the word "brief".
  • "Brief", the adjective, means "short", basically.
  • The verb seems to be a run-of-the-mill example of verbing a noun, from the word for a lawyer's summary.
  • The verb does not seem to be very old.
  • The first citation in the OED is from 1861.
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2 Answers
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You meant "thorough", and you seem to be fixated on the word as it relates to the word "brief". "Brief", the adjective, means "short", basically. The verb seems to be a run-of-the-mill example of verbing a noun, from the word for a lawyer's summary. The verb does not seem to be very old. The first citation in the OED is from 1861.

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verb: give essential information to someone ("The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade")

[Wordnet]

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