BREVITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does brevity mean? 

• BREVITY (noun)
  The noun BREVITY has 2 senses:

1. the use of brief expressions

2. the attribute of being brief or fleeting

  Familiarity information: BREVITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BREVITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The use of brief expressions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("brevity" is a kind of...):

terseness (a neatly short and concise expressive style)

Derivation:

brief (concise and succinct)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The attribute of being brief or fleeting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

brevity; briefness; transience

Hypernyms ("brevity" is a kind of...):

duration; length (continuance in time)

Derivation:

brief (of short duration or distance)

 Context examples 

She answered with equal indifference and brevity, and the other said no more.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The other project was, a scheme for entirely abolishing all words whatsoever; and this was urged as a great advantage in point of health, as well as brevity.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

It is my way—it always was my way, by instinct—ever to meet the brief with brevity, the direct with plainness.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I visited many other apartments, but shall not trouble my reader with all the curiosities I observed, being studious of brevity.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I began last week to permit my wife to sit at dinner with me, at the farthest end of a long table; and to answer (but with the utmost brevity) the few questions I asked her.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Again: because it is a general complaint, that the favourites of princes are troubled with short and weak memories; the same doctor proposed, that whoever attended a first minister, after having told his business, with the utmost brevity and in the plainest words, should, at his departure, give the said minister a tweak by the nose, or a kick in the belly, or tread on his corns, or lug him thrice by both ears, or run a pin into his breech; or pinch his arm black and blue, to prevent forgetfulness; and at every levee day, repeat the same operation, till the business were done, or absolutely refused.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I have related the substance of several conversations I had with my master during the greatest part of the time I had the honour to be in his service; but have, indeed, for brevity sake, omitted much more than is here set down.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)