📖 B — The English dictionary · page 48

brief — Everyday, meaning 1: Short in time or length.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Using few words: be brief.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) Instructions about a job or task: the brief for the project.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb) To give someone the facts or instructions they need.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Briefs (plural): underpants.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (noun, UK) A lawyer's case; informal for a lawyer.↗ Example: We had a brief chat after school.↗ · Please keep your answer brief.↗ · In brief, the plan worked.↗ · The design brief said: make a bridge from straws.↗ · The coach briefed us before the match.↗ · He packed socks and briefs for the trip.↗ · The rain was brief, just ten minutes.↗ · Here is a brief analysis of part of one of the tales in which this elementary abducer figures.↗

briefly — Everyday, meaning 1: Briefly means for a short time («I briefly saw her»).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Briefly means in a few words, without many details («Tell me briefly what happened»).↗ Example: Briefly explain how a plant makes food.↗ · The sun came out briefly before the rain started again.↗ · She paused briefly before answering.↗ · Tell me briefly what the story is about.↗ · We stopped briefly at the shop on the way home.↗ · The lights went out briefly during the storm.↗ · Put briefly, we lost because we didn't practise.↗ · He spoke briefly to the class about safety.↗ · One of the strange rules which the Spartans had, was that they should speak briefly, and never use more words than were needed.↗

brier — Everyday, meaning 1: A brier is another spelling of briar, a prickly bush with thorny stems.↗ Example: "Don't fling me in that brier-patch," said Brer Rabbit.↗ · The thorns on the brier scratched the boy's legs.↗ · The rabbit ran into the brier-patch and was safe.↗ · Fury is not in Me; would that I were as the briers and thorns in flame!↗ (Prophets ISA.27.4, JPS 1917)↗ · With arrows and with bow shall one come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.↗ (Prophets ISA.7.24, JPS 1917)↗ · For the land of my people whereon thorns and briers come up; yea, for all the houses of joy and the joyous city.↗ (Prophets ISA.32.13, JPS 1917)↗

brig — Everyday, meaning 1: A brig is a sailing ship with two masts and square sails.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A brig can also be a prison on board a ship, so a sailor who breaks the rules is put «in the brig».↗ Example: The brig sailed out of the harbour at dawn.↗ · There was not a child on board the brig that night who did not love him.↗ · The boys were all in the brig, about to walk the plank.↗

brigade — Everyday, meaning 1: A brigade is a big group of soldiers, part of an army.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A brigade is an organised group of people who do a job together, like a fire brigade.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Jokingly, a group of people with the same opinion: the umbrella brigade.↗ Example: Call the fire brigade if there is a fire.↗ · The fire brigade put out the fire quickly.↗ · A brigade of soldiers marched into the town.↗ · The firefighters showed us their brigade's engine.↗ · Grandpa was in an army brigade long ago.↗ · The tidy-up brigade cleared the classroom in five minutes.↗ · There was a kind of sentry-house, where dwelt the venerable old superintendent of the fire brigade, who always arrived with the last engine.↗

brigand — Everyday, meaning 1: A brigand is a bandit or robber, often one who lives in the hills and attacks travellers.↗ Example: The brigand jumped out from the rocks.↗ · "Wait one moment!" gasped the brigand painfully.↗ · The travellers were robbed by a brigand in the forest.↗

bright — Everyday, meaning 1: Giving out or full of strong light: a bright light, a bright sunny day.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Of colours: strong and easy to see: bright red.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Clever and quick to learn: a bright pupil.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Happy and lively: a bright smile.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Likely to be good: a bright future.↗ Example: The Sun is too bright to look at.↗ · Wear bright clothes so drivers can see you.↗ · She painted the door bright yellow.↗ · He's a bright boy who loves maths.↗ · I had a bright idea!↗ · We set off bright and early.↗ · Look on the bright side — at least it's not raining.↗ · The stars are bright tonight.↗ · The bright boys were puz-zled now.↗ · and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; (Torah LEV.14.56, JPS 1917)↗ · And if a man or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots; (Torah LEV.13.38, JPS 1917)↗ · and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest.↗ (Torah LEV.13.19, JPS 1917)↗ · and twenty bowels of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.↗ (Writings EZR.8.27, JPS 1917)↗ · And now men see not the light which is bright in the skies; but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.↗ (Writings JOB.37.21, JPS 1917)↗ · And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, making the face brighter than oil, and bread that stayeth man's heart.↗ (Writings PSA.104.15, JPS 1917)↗

brighten — Everyday, meaning 1: To become brighter or lighter, or to make something brighter: «The sky brightened after the rain».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To become happier or more cheerful, or to make someone happier: «Her face brightened».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To make a place more colourful or pleasant: «Flowers brighten up the classroom».↗ Example: The sky brightened in the afternoon.↗ · Your card really brightened my day.↗ · Her eyes brightened when she saw the puppy.↗ · We brightened up the classroom with paintings.↗ · The forecast says it will brighten up after lunch.↗ · A coat of yellow paint brightened the old shed.↗ · Grandma brightens whenever we visit.↗ · When the hunter's tale of the stranger's arrow reached the ears of the chieftain, his face brightened with a smile.↗ · Then said Jonathan: 'My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, how mine eyes are brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.↗ (Prophets 1SA.14.29, JPS 1917)↗

brightly — Everyday, meaning 1: With a lot of light; shining strongly (the sun shone brightly).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In strong, bright colours (brightly painted).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In a cheerful, happy way (she smiled brightly).↗ Example: The sun shone brightly over the beach.↗ · The classroom was brightly decorated for the party.↗ · Wear brightly coloured clothes when you cycle.↗ · The stars twinkled brightly in the dark sky.↗ · «Good morning!» she said brightly.↗ · The fire burned brightly in the fireplace.↗ · With two batteries, the bulb glows more brightly.↗ · And the Ranunculus shone brightly, and looked again at Gerda.↗

brightness — Everyday, meaning 1: How much light something gives off or reflects; a bright lamp has high brightness.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: How strong and clear a colour is.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A cheerful, lively quality in a person's face, voice or mood.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: The setting on a screen that makes it lighter or darker.↗ Example: The brightness of the sun hurt my eyes.↗ · Turn the brightness down on your tablet before bed.↗ · We tested how the brightness of the bulb changed with two batteries.↗ · Some stars have a greater brightness than others.↗ · The brightness of the paint made the classroom cheerful.↗ · Her smile had a brightness that made everyone feel welcome.↗ · Never look straight at the sun, whatever its brightness.↗ · The candles were now lighted--what brightness!↗ · Even very dark, and no brightness in it?↗ (Prophets AMO.5.20, JPS 1917)↗ · At the brightness before Him coals of fire flamed forth.↗ (Prophets 2SA.22.13, JPS 1917)↗ · If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; (Writings JOB.31.26, JPS 1917)↗

brilliance — Everyday, meaning 1: Brilliance is great cleverness or talent: «the brilliance of the scientist».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Brilliance is very bright light or shine: «the brilliance of the stars».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Brilliance is the quality of being excellent or impressive: «a moment of brilliance in the match».↗ Example: Everyone admired the brilliance of her idea.↗ · The brilliance of the sun made us squint.↗ · The winning goal was a moment of pure brilliance.↗ · Einstein's brilliance changed science.↗ · The diamond sparkled with brilliance.↗ · It was sheer brilliance to bring an umbrella today.↗ · She looked up in surprise at the dazzling brilliance that streamed through the hole; then gave a sigh which seemed to come from her heart.↗

brilliancy — Everyday, meaning 1: Brilliancy is great brightness or sparkle of light, or a dazzling shine; it is another word for brilliance.↗ Example: Dorothy and her friends were dazzled by the brilliancy of the City.↗ · Her eyes were dark, yet full of light and brilliancy.↗ · The scales glowed with a purple brilliancy.↗

brilliant — Everyday, meaning 1: Brilliant means very clever or talented.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Brilliant means very bright and shining, like brilliant sunshine.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In British, Irish and Australian everyday speech, brilliant means really good or great.↗ Example: What a brilliant idea!↗ · She is a brilliant scientist.↗ · The sun was brilliant in the blue sky.↗ · The parrot has brilliant green feathers.↗ · We had a brilliant time at the beach.↗ · Brilliant work on your story, Sam!↗ · The diamond was brilliant in the light.↗ · I’m sure to have a brilliant idea for you before long.’↗

brilliantly — Everyday, meaning 1: Very well or very cleverly: «She played brilliantly».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Very brightly: «The stars shone brilliantly».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, UK) Used to make a word stronger in a happy way: «It worked brilliantly».↗ Example: You solved that puzzle brilliantly.↗ · The moon shone brilliantly over the lake.↗ · Our team played brilliantly in the final.↗ · The plan worked brilliantly.↗ · The parrot's feathers were brilliantly coloured.↗ · She sang brilliantly at the school concert.↗ · Well done, you explained it brilliantly.↗ · The place was so brilliantly lighted that it seemed like sunshine, and glorious music rolled through the building.↗

brim — Everyday, meaning 1: The brim of a cup, glass or bowl is its top edge: full to the brim.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The brim of a hat is the flat part that sticks out around the bottom and shades your face.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To brim (with) means to be full to the top: eyes brimming with tears, brimming with ideas.↗ Example: The cup was full to the brim, so I carried it slowly.↗ · Wear a hat with a wide brim in the sun.↗ · The baseball cap only has a brim at the front.↗ · Her eyes were brimming with tears.↗ · The class was brimming with ideas for the play.↗ · The bath filled to the brim and almost overflowed.↗ · And she took the brazen pitcher that she had brought with her, and filled it to the brim.↗ · And it was a hand-breadth thick; and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held two thousand baths.↗ (Prophets 1KI.7.26, JPS 1917)↗ · And it was a handbreadth thick; and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held three thousand baths.↗ (Writings 2CH.4.5, JPS 1917)↗ · And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.↗ (Prophets 1KI.7.23, JPS 1917)↗

brimming — Everyday, meaning 1: Brimming means filled right up to the top, so full that it runs over the edge.↗ Example: Proserpina's apron was soon brimming over with blossoms.↗ · He carried the bucket back brimming over.↗ · It is brimming with delicious wine.↗

brimstone — Everyday, meaning 1: Brimstone is an old word for sulphur, a yellow stone that burns with a bad smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old use, in exclamations) «Brimstone and gall!» is an angry cry, like a curse.↗ Example: Old tales say the wicked place smells of brimstone.↗ · The yellow lumps of brimstone burned blue.↗ · «Brimstone and gall!» cried the angry old man.↗ · Then the LORD caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (Torah GEN.19.24, JPS 1917)↗ · There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his; brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.↗ (Writings JOB.18.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Upon the wicked He will cause to rain coals; fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.↗ (Writings PSA.11.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.↗ (Prophets ISA.34.9, JPS 1917)↗

brindle — Everyday, meaning 1: Brindle is a coat of brown or grey with dark streaks or spots, as on some cows and dogs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A brindle is an animal with such a coat; in stories a cow may have the name Brindle.↗ Example: The brindle dog wagged its striped tail.↗ · Brindle is going to lie down.↗ · The farmer milked the brindle cow.↗

brindled — Everyday, meaning 1: Brindled means brown or grey with dark streaks or stripes in the coat.↗ Example: The brindled cow gave us milk.↗ · By the stove lay a hen and a brindled cow.↗ · The brindled cat slept by the fire.↗

brine — Everyday, meaning 1: Very salty water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Salty water used to keep food fresh or add flavour, such as for pickles or olives.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (literary) The sea.↗ Example: The olives are kept in brine.↗ · Leave the brine in the sun and salt crystals form.↗ · Gherkins are pickled in brine.↗ · Dad brined the turkey overnight.↗ · Brine shrimp live in very salty lakes.↗ · The old sailor smelled of brine.↗

bring — Everyday, meaning 1: To bring is to carry something to a place where someone is: «Bring your book to school».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To bring someone is to come with them.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To bring about is to make something happen.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To bring up a child is to care for it as it grows.↗ Example: Each student brought 4 cookies.↗ · She brought 12 cupcakes to school.↗ · Tom brought 6 more chairs.↗ · How many apples did they bring in all?↗ · Please bring your PE kit tomorrow.↗ · Can I bring a friend to the party?↗ · Bring back the library book by Friday.↗ · Rain brings flowers in spring.↗ · They brought him to the Princess.↗ · And they brought Joseph into Egypt.↗ (Torah GEN.37.28, JPS 1917)↗ · And they brought their cattle unto Joseph.↗ (Torah GEN.47.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.↗ (Torah NUM.27.5, JPS 1917)↗ · And who hath brought up these?↗ (Prophets ISA.49.21, JPS 1917)↗ · And he sent, and brought him in.↗ (Prophets 1SA.16.12, JPS 1917)↗ · Is a nation brought forth at once?↗ (Prophets ISA.66.8, JPS 1917)↗