Brevity

views updated May 29 2018

82. Brevity

  1. Adonis garden of short life. [Br. Lit.: I Henry IV ]
  2. bubbles symbolic of transitoriness of life. [Art: Hall, 54]
  3. cherry fair cherry orchards where fruit was briefly sold; symbolic of transience. [Folklore: Brewer Dictionary, 217]
  4. Gettysburg Address terse but famous speech given by President Lincoln at dedication of national cemetery. (Gettysburg, Penn., 1863). [Am. Hist.: EB, IV: 515]
  5. Grey, Lady Jane (15371554) queen of England for nine days. [Br. Hist.: NCE, 1146]
  6. night-blooming cereus symbol of fading loveliness; blooms briefly. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 176]
  7. Six-Day War Arab-Israeli war (1967). [Near East. Hist.: EB, I: 470]

Brevity

views updated May 29 2018

58. Brevity

brachylogy
the practice of conciseness in speech or writing.
laconism, laconicism
1. the practice of using few words to say much.
2. a laconic utterance. laconic , n., adj. laconical , adj.
pauciloquy
Rare. the speaking of few words; taciturnity or brevity. pauciloquent , adj.
syntomy, syntomia
Rare. brevity; conciseness.
telegraphese
the brief, sometimes cryptic language used in telegrams.

brevity

views updated Jun 08 2018

brev·i·ty / ˈbrevitē/ • n. concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. ∎  shortness of time: the brevity of human life.

brevity

views updated May 21 2018

brevity XVI. — AN. breveté, (O)F. brièveté, f. bref, fem. briève BRIEF2; see -ITY.