brevis

Latin > English

brevis breve, brevior -or -us, brevissimus -a -um ADJ :: short, little, small, stunted; brief, concise, quick; narrow, shallow; humble
brevis brevis brevis N M :: short catalog, summary document

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

brĕvis: e, adj. (abl. breve, Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 2;
I comp. abl. breviore, Ov. Am. 2, 17, 22) [cf. βραχύς, Fest. p. 26], short, little, of small extent, in space and time (opp. longus; in space, in good class. prose, diff. from parvus, which designates that which fills a small space in length, breadth, and thickness; while brevis is used only of length in its different directions of breadth, height, or depth; and even of a circle, as merely a line, and without reference to the space enclosed,
v. infra. In poets and postAug. prose brevis sometimes = parvus).
I Lit., in space.
   A In distance, extent, short, little, small, narrow (opp. latus), Cic. Ac. 2, 29, 92: brevior via, Nep. Eum. 8, 5; Tib. 1, 10, 4: via brevis, Verg. E. 9, 23; Ov. M. 5, 253; Juv. 14, 223: cursus brevissimus, Verg. A. 3, 507: brevius iter, Ov. P. 1, 4, 32: cursu brevissimus Almo, id. M. 14, 329: quid mihi, quod lato non separor aequore, prodest? Num minus haec nobis tam brevis obstat aqua? so narrow a stream, id. H. 18, 174; cf. also brevis unda, opp. latum mare, id. ib. 19, 141 and 142: non Asiam brevioris aquae disterminat usquam fluctus ab Europā, Luc. 9, 957 (strictioris, Schol.); cf. id. 9, 317: brevissima terra, Plin. Ep. 10, 69, 2: in Euboico scopulus brevis emicat altō Gurgite, a small, narrow rock, Ov. M. 9, 226: brevibus Gyaris, Juv. 1, 73: scis In breve te cogi (sc. libellum), that you are closely rolled together, Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 8: quo brevius valent, the nearer, the more powerful are they in conflict, Tac. A. 6, 35.—
   2    Trop. of the journey of life: quid est, quod in hoc tam exiguo vitae curriculo et tam brevi tantis nos in laboribus exerceamus? Cic. Arch. 11, 28; cf.: vitae brevis cursus, gloriae sempiternus, id. Sest. 21, 47: tum brevior dirae mortis aperta via est, Tib. 1, 10, 4.—And poet. of the thread of life: fila vitae breviora, Ov. Tr. 5, 10, 46. —
   B In height, short, small, low (opp. altus and sometimes longus); of the human figure: sed sedebat judex L. Aurifex, brevior ipse quam testis, Cic. de Or. 2, 60, 245: ut statura breves in digitos eriguntur, Quint. 2, 3, 8: forma, Ov. M. 5, 457: (puella) longa brevisque, id. Am. 2, 4, 36: brevis corpore, Suet. Galb. 3; id. Vit. Hor.—Of a maiden changed to a boy: et incomptis brevior mensura capillis, Ov. M. 9, 789.— Of other things: ut pleraque Alpium ab Italiā sicut breviora, ita arrectiora sunt, lower, Liv. 21, 35, 11: brevior ilex, Sen. Herc. Oet. 1641: mus, little, Ov. F. 2, 574. —
   C In depth, small, little, shallow (opp. profundus): puteus, Juv. 3, 226: vada, Verg. A. 5, 221; Sen. Agam. 570.—Hence, subst.: brĕvia, ium, n., as in Gr. τὰ βραχέα, shallow places, shallows, shoals: tris Eurus ab alto In brevia et syrtis urget, Verg. A. 1, 111 (brevia vadosa dicit, per quae vadi pedibus potest, Serv.); Luc. 9, 338: neque discerni poterant incerta ab solidis, brevia a profundis, Tac. A. 1, 70: brevia litorum, id. ib. 6, 33 fin.—Perh. also in sing.: breve, Tac. A. 14, 29 Draeg. ad loc. (Ritter, brevia; al. breve litus).—
   2    Trop.: brevia, in quibus volutatur, incerta, ancipitia, difficulties, Sen. Ep. 22, 7.—
   D Of the line of a circle: ubi circulus (i.e. arcticus) axem Ultimus extremum spatioque brevissimus ambit, makes the shortest path, Ov. M. 2, 517; cf. of similar orbits, of stars: absides breviores, Plin. 2. 15, 13, § 63.—Of the circular course of a horse on the track: discit gyro breviore flecti, Sen. Hippol. 314. —
II Transf., of time.
   A Lit. (the usu. signif. of the word), short, brief, small, little.
   1    In gen.: quanto, nox, fuisti longior hac proxumā, Tanto brevior dies ut fiat faciam, Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 51: breve spatium'st perferundi quae minitas mihi, id. Capt. 3, 5, 85: brevis hora, Lucr. 4, 179; so Ov. M. 4, 696: Pa. Brevin' an longinquo sermone? Mi. Tribus verbis, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 30: occasio, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 57; Phaedr. 5, 8, 5: brevis hic est fructus homulleis, short is this enjoyment for little men, Lucr. 3, 927; cf.: MORS. PERFECIT. TVA. VT. TIBE. ESSENT. OMNIA. BREVIA. HONOS. FAMA. VIRTVSQVE. GLORIA. ATQVE. INGENIVM., Inscr. Orell. 558: omnia brevia tolerabilia esse debent, Cic. Lael. 27, 104; id. Fin. 1, 12, 40; 2, 29, 94; id. Tusc. 1, 39, 94; Sen. Ira, 3, 43, 5: quoniam vita brevis est, memoriam nostri quam maxime longam efficere, Sall. C. 1, 3; so, vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat incohare longam, Hor. C. 1, 4, 15; cf. id. ib. 1, 11, 6: aut omnia breviora aliquanto fuere, aut Saguntum principio anni captum, occupied a shorter time, Liv. 21, 15, 5: brevissimum tempus, id. 5, 6, 7: detrimentum, Quint. 11, 1, 10: arbitrium mortis, Tac. A. 15, 60: breves populi Romani amores, id. ib. 2, 41: tempus, Suet. Ner. 20 al.: nobis quom semel occidit brevis lux, nox est perpetua una dormienda, Cat. 5, 5: fructus, Lucr. 3, 914: aevum, Hor. C. 2, 16, 17; id. S. 2, 6, 97; id. Ep. 2, 1, 144; Plin. Pan. 78, 2: anni, Hor. C. 4, 13, 22: ver, Ov. M. 1, 118; 10, 85: flores rosae, quickly withering, short-lived, Hor. C. 2, 3, 13: lilium, id. ib. 1, 36, 16: cena, frugal, id. Ep. 1, 14, 35: mensa, id. A. P. 198: dominus, living but a short time, id. C. 2, 14, 24: stultitia, id. ib. 4, 12, 27: ira furor brevis est, id. Ep. 1, 2, 62: actio brevis atque concisa, Quint. 6, 4, 2: somnus, Sen. Troad. 441: nec gratius quicquam decore nec brevius, nothing is more acceptable, but nothing more perishable, fading, than beauty, Suet. Dom. 18: domus, Sen. Hippol. 762: fortuna, Sil. 4, 734.—
   2    Esp.
   a Comp. brevius, with subj. clause, shorter, i.e. easier, more convenient: brevius visum urbana crimina incipi, quorum obvii testes erant, Tac. A. 13, 43: modo ne existimes brevius esse ab urbe mitti, Trag. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 40 (49), 3.—
   b In brevi spatio, brevi spatio, in brevi tempore, brevi tempore, and absol. brevi or in brevi, in a short time, shortly (before or after) (brevi tempore and brevi are class.; the latter, as in Gr. ἐν βραχεῖ>, to be considered as neuter, without supplying tempore): inque brevi spatio mutantur saecla animantum, Lucr. 2, 77; so Ter. Heaut. 5, 2, 2; Suet. Claud. 12; id. Ner. 30; cf.: in multo breviore temporis spatio, id. Aug. 22: multa brevi spatio simulacra geruntur, Lucr. 4, 160; Sall. J. 87, 3: spatio brevi, Hor. C. 1, 11, 6: res publica per vos brevi tempore jus suum recuperabit, Cic. Fam. 12, 2, 3; 5, 21, 2; id. Tusc. 2, 2, 5; Caes. B. G. 1, 40, 11; Nep. Milt. 2, 1; id. Them. 1, 4; Suet. Caes. 3: sic ille affectus, brevi postea est mortuus, soon after, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142 (Zumpt; acc. to MSS. perbrevi).—So brevi post = paulo post: brevi post Marcellus Romam venit, Liv. 33, 37, 9; 24, 3, 14: brevi deinde, id. 24, 4, 9: (Britanni) tantum usu cotidiano et exercitatione efficiunt, uti in declivi ac praecipiti loco incitatos equos sustinere et brevi (in a short time, i.e. with great rapidity) moderari ac flectere consuerint, Caes. B. G. 4, 33 fin. Herz. and Held.: fama tanti facinoris per omnem Africam brevi divolgatur, Sall. J. 13, 1; Nep. Them. 4, 4: mirantur tam brevi rem Romanam crevisse, Liv. 1, 9, 9: brevi omnia subegit, Suet. Caes. 34; so id. Aug. 17; 65; id. Vesp. 5; id. Gram. 3; Gell. 1, 15, 18: scire in brevi, Afran. ap. Charis. p. 186 P.; Flor. 1, 1, 15.—
   c Brevi, a short time, a little while: cunctatusque brevi, contortam viribus hastam in Persea misit, Ov. M. 5, 32; cf.: illa brevi spatio silet, id. ib. 7, 307; so, * breve, Cat. 61, 187.—
   d Ad breve, for a short time, Suet. Tib. 68; cf.: ad breve quoddam tempus, Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 31.—
   B Transf. to things done or taking place in a short time; so most freq.
   1    Of discourse, short, brief, concise (most freq. in Cic. and Quint.): narratio, Cic. Inv. 1, 20, 28; id. de Or. 3, 50, 196: laudatio; comprehensio et ambitus ille verborum erat apud illum contractus et brevis, id. Brut. 44, 162; cf. id. de Or. 2, 80, 326: nunc venio ad illa tua brevia: et primum illud, quo nihil potest esse brevius: bonum omne laudabile, etc., id. Fin. 4, 18, 48: quam falsa re! quam brevia responsu! id. Clu. 59, 164: urbanitas est virtus quaedam in breve dictum coacta, Dom. Mars. ap. Quint. 6, 3, 104: Homerus brevem eloquentiam Menelao dedit, Quint. 12, 10, 64 (brevis = οὐ πολύμυθος, Hom. Il. 3, 214): breviores commentarii, Quint. 3, 8, 58: annotatio, id. 10, 7, 31: brevia illa atque concisa, id. 10, 7, 10; so, sententiae, id. 10, 1, 60: causae, id. 6, 1, 8: docendi compendia, id. 1, 1, 24: comprehensiones, id. 12, 2, 19: quod ut brevissimo pateat exemplo, id. 3, 6, 10: commendatio, requiring few words, i.e. moderate, Plin. 11, 42, 97, § 240.— Meton. of a speaker or orator, brief: multos imitatio brevitatis decipit, ut cum se breves putent esse, longissimi sint, Cic. Inv. 1, 20, 38: brevior in scribendo, id. Att. 5, 6, 2: brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio, Hor. A. P. 25: in eloquendo brevis, Quint. 10, 1, 63: densus et brevis et semper instans sibi Thucydides, id. 10, 1, 73.—Hence, brĕvī, adv., briefly, in few words (freq. and class.): brevi pro breviter M. Tullius de Orat. ad Quintum fratrem (1, 8, 34): ac ne plura quidem quae sunt innumerabilia consecter, comprehendam brevi, Charis. p. 176 P.: id percurram brevi, Cic. Caecin. 32, 94: aliquid explicare, id. Planc. 40, 95 Wund.: circumscribere et definire, id. Sest. 45, 97; so id. ib. 5, 12 Orell. N. cr.; id. Fin. 1, 17, 55: complecti, id. de Or. 1, 42, 190: exponere, id. ib. 1, 46, 203: reprehendere, id. Inv. 1, 9, 12: reddere, id. Leg. 2, 14, 34: respondere, id. Fam. 3, 8, 1: perscribere, id. ib. 4, 5, 1; so Auct. Her. 4, 26, 35; 35, 47 al.; cf.: in brevi, Quint. 9, 4, 32.—So once in epistolary style: breve facere, to be short or brief: quid scribam? breve faciam, Cic. Att. 11, 7, 6; cf.: longum est ea dicere, sed hoc breve dicam, id. Sest. 5, 12.—Once, in breve cogere (diff. from I. A.), to comprise in few words, bring into a small compass: in breve coactae causae, Liv. 39, 47, 5; cf.: in breve coactio causae, Gai. Inst. 4, 15.— In late Lat. subst.: brĕvis, is, m. (sc. liber—acc. to another reading, brĕve, is, n.), a short catalogue, summary, = breviarium: brevis nominum, Vop. Aur. 36; so id. Bonos. 15; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 21; Hier. Ep. 5, n. 2 al.—
   2    Of a short syllable; rarely as adj.: Syllaba longa brevi subjecta vocatur iambus, Hor. A. P. 251: a brevis, gre brevis, faciet tamen longam priorem, Quint. 9, 4, 86 et saep.—More freq. subst.: brĕvis, is, f. (sc. syllaba): dactylus, qui est e longā et duabus brevibus, Cic. Or. 64, 217 sq.: in fine pro longā accipi brevem, Quint. 9, 4, 93; 9, 4, 86: plurimum habent celeritatis breves, id. 9, 4, 91.— Hence also once of a syllable long by position, but pronounced short: indoctus dicimus brevi primā litterā, insanus productā: inhumanus brevi, infelix longā, Cic. Or. 48, 159 Meyer N. cr.; cf. Gell. 2, 17 sqq., and Schütz Lex. Cic. s. v. brevis.—
   C For parvus, exiguus, little, small: exigua pars brevisque, Lucr. 5, 591: Canidia brevibus implicata viperis, Hor. Epod. 5, 15: Alecto brevibus torquata colubris, Ov. H. 2, 119: brevi latere ac pede longo est, Hor. S. 1, 2, 93; cf. just before: breve quod caput, ardua cervix, v. 89, and brevis alvus, Verg. G. 3, 80 (on the other hand, Nemes. 244: parvae alvi): mus, Ov. F. 2, 574: forma (sc. pueri in stellionem mutati), id. M. 5, 457.— So, lapathi herba, Hor. S. 2, 4, 29 (brevis = parva, non excrescens in altum, Schol. Cruqu.): folia breviora, id. Ep. 1, 19, 26 (minor corona, Schol. Cruqu.): census, id. C. 2, 15, 13: pondus, id. S. 2, 2, 37: impensa, Ov. H. 7, 188 Ruhnk.: sigillum, id. M. 6, 86: insulae, Pall. 1, 28, 1; cf. Juv. 1, 73: vasculum, Pall. Apr. 8, 4: offulae, id. 1, 29, 4: pantheris in candido breves macularum oculi, Plin. 8, 17, 23, § 62.—With nom. abstr.: breve in exiguo marmore nomen ero, Prop. 2, 1, 72; Sen. Oedip. 935.—So, pondus, Hor. S. 2, 2, 37 al.—Hence, brĕ-vĭter, adv., shortly, briefly, etc.
   1    Of space (acc. to I.) (rare): seu libeat, curvo brevius convertere gyro, shorter, i. e. in a smaller circle, Tib. 4, 1, 94: parvo brevius quam totus, a little less than the whole, Plin. 2, 67, 67, § 168: Sarmatae, omisso arcu, quo brevius valent, contis gladiisque ruerent, Tac. A. 6, 35.—Far more freq. in prose and poetry,
   2    (Acc. to II. A. b. and c.) Of time, in a short time.
   a In gen.: iratum breviter vites, inimicum diu, Publ. Syr. v. 249 Rib.: sapiens, cum breviter et strictim colore atque vultu motus est, Gell. 19, 1, 20.—
   b Esp.
   (a)    In expression, briefly, in brief, in few words, concisely, summarily: sed breviter paucis praestat comprendere multa, Lucr. 6, 1082: multa breviter et commode dicta (sc. ἀποφθέγματα; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 29, 104) memoriae mandabam, Cic. Lael. 1, 1: rem totam breviter cognoscite, id. Verr. 2, 2, 69, § 169; 2, 3, 27, § 67; so id. de Or. 2, 83, 340: summatim breviterque describere, id. Or. 15, 50: breviter tangere, id. Off. 3, 2, 8 Beier N. cr.: breviter et modice disserere, Sall. J. 111, 1: adicere aliquid, Quint. 9, 3, 100; cf. also Verg. A. 2, 11; 4, 632; 6, 321; Ov. M. 2, 783: omnia soli Forsan Pacuvio breviter dabit (i.e. paucis testamenti verbis, quibus heres ex asse scribetur), Juv. 12, 125 Web. (cf. id. 1, 68: beatum exiguis tabulis).—Comp., Cic. Fin. 4, 10, 26; Quint. 8, prooem. § 1; 8, 6, 61; 9, 2, 16; 10, 1, 49; 11, 1, 5 al.—Sup., Cic. N. D. 2, 1, 3; id. Div. 1, 32, 70; Quint. 1, 10, 1; 4, 2, 113 al.—
   (b)    Of syllables: quibus in verbis eae primae litterae sunt quae in sapiente atque felice, producte dicitur, in ceteris omnibus breviter, Cic. Or. 48, 159.

Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)

brĕvis,⁷ e, court,
1 [quant à l’espace] : magna, parva, longa, brevia Cic. Ac. 2, 92, objets grands ou petits, longs ou courts ; breviore itinere Cæs. C. 1, 43, 4, par un chemin plus court ; inde erat brevissimus in Britanniam trajectus Cæs. G. 4, 21, 3, de là la traversée était la plus courte pour aller en Bretagne ; via brevior Cic. Or. 180, voie (méthode) plus courte || brevis aqua [poét.] Ov. H. 17, 174, une nappe d’eau étroite ; brevi spatio dijunctus Liv. 42, 59, 4, séparé par un étroit espace ; brevia vada Virg. En. 5, 221, bas-fonds (v. brevia ) ; puteus brevis Juv. 3, 226, puits peu profond ; (naves) adversus breve et incertum Tac. Ann. 14, 29, (navires faits) en prévision d’endroits peu profonds et incertains || court [en hauteur] : judex brevior ipse quam testis Cic. de Or. 2, 245, le juge de plus petite taille lui-même que le témoin ; valens an imbecillus, longus an brevis Cic. Inv. 1, 35, bien portant ou faible, grand ou petit ; statura brevis Suet. Aug. 79, petite taille ; hasta brevis Nep. Iph. 1, 3, lance courte ; parmæ breviores Liv. 26, 4, 4, boucliers plus courts ; brevis murus Ov. Tr. 5, 2, 70, mur peu élevé || [en parl. d’écrits, de discours] court, bref : oratio longior... brevior Cic. Off. 2, 20, développement (exposé) un peu trop long... un peu trop court ; brevis defensio Cic. Cæl. 9, courte (brève) défense ; dicta brevia Cic. de Or. 2, 221, mots à l’emporte-pièce, boutades satiriques ; (genus facetiarum) peracutum et breve Cic. de Or. 2, 218, (genre de plaisanterie) acéré et bref (fait de traits piquants et brefs) ; versus syllaba una brevior aut longior Cic. Par. 26, vers trop court ou trop long d’une seule syllabe ; (ista fuerunt) non solum non larga, sed etiam breviora quam vellem Cic. Br. 52, (ces détails loin d’avoir été) longs, ont même été plus brefs que je n’aurais souhaité ; hoc breve dicam Cic. Sest. 12, je ferai cette courte remarque || n. pris subst^t : breve faciam Cic. Att. 11, 7, 6, je ferai court, je serai bref ; scis in breve te cogi Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 8, tu sais qu’on te réduit en un petit volume ; erant in breve coactæ causæ Liv. 39, 46, 5, les justifications étaient ramassées en un court exposé || [en parl. des écrivains ou orateurs eux-mêmes] bref, concis : Cic. de Or. 2, 93 ; Br. 29 ; Q. 2, 11, 4 ; sol me admonuit ut brevior essem Cic. de Or. 3, 209, le soleil m’a averti d’être plus bref, cf. Att. 1, 14, 4 ; 2, 25, 2 ; brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio Hor. P. 25, j’évite d’être long, et je deviens obscur
2 court [quant au temps] : brevi spatio interjecto Cæs. G. 3, 4, 1, après un court intervalle de temps ; breve tempus Cic. Cat. 2, 11, court espace de temps ; breviores noctes Cæs. G. 5, 13, 4, nuits plus courtes ; ad breve quoddam tempus Cic. Cat. 1, 31, pour un court espace de temps || brevi tempore : a) sous peu, dans peu de temps : Cic. Tusc. 3, 69 ; Off. 3, 79 ; etc.; Cæs. G. 1, 40, 11 ; b) pendant peu de temps, en peu de temps : Cic. Tusc. 4, 31 ; Nat. 1, 6 ; Off. 3, 4 ; etc.; tam brevi tempore Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, en si peu de temps, cf. Pomp. 33 ; 34 ; 46 ; Phil. 5, 11 ; v. tempus, spatium, brevi || [en parl. des choses elles-mêmes] court, bref, passager : omnia brevia tolerabilia esse debent Cic. Læl. 104, tout ce qui est passager doit être supportable ; dolor brevis Cic. Fin. 2, 93, douleur de courte durée ; ira brevis furor est Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 62, la colère est une courte folie || [poét.] : breve lilium Hor. O. 1, 36, 16, le lis fugitif (éphémère) ; nulla brevem dominum sequetur Hor. O. 2, 14, 24, aucun de ces arbres ne suivra son maître d’un moment (d’un jour) || [métr.] : syllaba brevis Cic. Or. 217, syllabe brève ; tres breves Cic. de Or. 3, 183, trois brèves [syllabes] ; creticus est ex longa et brevi et longa Cic. de Or. 3, 183, le crétique se compose d’une longue, d’une brève et d’une longue.

Latin > German (Georges)

brevis, e (βραχύς), kurz, klein, von geringer Ausdehnung, I) quantitativ: A) räumlich: a) in die Weite, kurz, klein, schmal (Ggstz. longus, latus), via, Verg.: via brevior (Ggstz. longior anfractus), Nep.: aqua br., schmales, Ov.: iter urinae brevius (Ggstz. spatiosius), Cels.: Corsic Sardiniā brevior, porrectior Ilvā, Sen.: cursus brevissimus, Verg.: in breve cogere, eng zusammenrollen, Hor. – b) in die Höhe, Länge, kurz, klein, niedrig (Ggstz. longus, altus, procerus), longus an brevis sit, Cic.: avicula brevis, Amm.: (homo) brevi capite, Pacuv. fr.: homo corpore brevis, Suet: iudex brevior, Cic.: frons, schmale, Mart.: funis, vinculum, Gell. – c) in die Tiefe, niedrig, flach, seicht (Ggstz. profundus), litus, Tac.: brevia vada, Verg., od. bl. brevia, Verg. u. Tac., u. Sing. breve, is, n., Tac. ann. 14, 29 (dazu Nipperd.), seichte Örter, Untiefen, Sandbänke. – B) zeitlich: 1) eig., kurz, klein (Ggstz. longus), numquam tibi dies longi erunt, sed breves videbuntur, Hier. ep. 130, 15: aevi brevis, Hor.: ad breve tempus (Ggstz. diu), Cic.: primus ille et brevissimi temporis impetus, Liv.: brevi tempore, auch bl. brevi, in kurzer Zeit, in kurzem, nächstens, Cic. u.a. (unklass. in brevi, Afran. com. 196): brevi post, brevi deinde, Liv.: brevi antequam moreretur, Gell.: aber auch brevi, während einer kurzen Zeit, eine kleine Weile, Ov. met. 5, 32 (vgl. 7, 307: illa brevi spatio silet): ad breve, auf kurze Zeit, Suet. Tib. 68. Vulg. act. apost. 5, 34. – brevi (beim Compar., um ein kleines), fuit Aeschylus non brevi antiquior, Gell. 13, 19 (18), 4. – 2) übtr.: a) übh. von Dingen in der Zeit, von kurzer Dauer, kurz, dah. auch vorübergehend, vergänglich, flüchtig (Ggstz. longus, perpetuus, sempiternus), bonum, Nov. fr.: vita, Plaut.: vitae curriculum, Cic.: ver, Ov.: occasio, Ter.: dolor, Cic.: rosa, flos, lilium, nur kurze Zeit blühende, Hor.: osculum, flüchtiger Kuß, Tac.: assensus, Tac.: dominus, eine kurze Zeit lebender, Hor.: scias nec gratius quicquam decore nec brevius, aber auch nichts hinfälliger, hinwelkender, Suet. – subst., gaudere od. laetari in brevi, sich am Vergänglichen erfreuen, Commodian. apol. 600 u. instr. 1, 21, 10. – b) insbes.: α) v. der Silbenmessung, kurz, geschärft (Ggstz. longus, productus), a primum longa brevis syllaba, Lucil. fr.: syllabae longae et breves et mediocres (mittelzeitigen), Gell.: postrema syllaba brevis an longa sit, ne in versu quidem refert, Cic.: syllaba longa brevi subiecta, Hor.: u. subst., brevis, is, f. (verst. syllaba), eine Kürze = eine kurze Silbe (Ggstz. longa), creticus, qui est e longa et brevi et longa, et eius aequalis paean, qui spatio par est, syllabā longior. Nam aut e longa est et tribus brevibus, aut e totidem brevibus et longa, Cic. – v. geschärfter Aussprache, indoctus dicimus brevi primā litterā, in sanus productā, inhumanus brevi, infelix longā, Cic.: ut aut contractione brevius fieret aut productione longius, Cic.: ut multarum brevium iunctura vitetur, Sen. – β) v. Ausdruck, kurz, kurz gefaßt, kurz und bündig (Ggstz. longus), ne (ille ambitus) brevior sit quam satis sit, neque longior, Cic.: comprehensio et ambitus ille verborum erat apud illum contractus et brevis, Cic.: breves litterae tuae, Cic.: laudatio br., narratio br., Cic.: brevi, kurz, mit wenigen Worten, Cic.: quod etsi ita esse pluribus verbis disserendum est; illud tamen et breve confitendum est, nisi qui ita sit affectus, liberum esse neminem, Cic.: breve faciam, ich will's kurz machen, Cic.: hoc breve dicam, ich will's kurz sagen, Cic.: in breve cogere, kurz fassen, Liv. – m. 2. Sup., quam brevia responsu, Cic. Clu. 164. – dah. breve, n., od. brevis, is, m. (sc. liber), ein kurzes Verzeichnis, eine Liste, Vopisc. u. Spät.: ut in brevi, wie in einem kurzen Verzeichnisse, in der Kürze, Quint. 9, 4, 32. – c) v. Redner, kurz, sich kurz fassend, kurz und bündig (Ggstz. longus, copiosus), oratorum si quis ita numerat plura genera, ut alios grandes aut graves aut copiosos, alios tenues aut subtiles aut breves putet etc., Cic.: multos imitatio brevitatis decipit, ut, cum se breves putent esse, longissimi sint, Cic.: ut ego brevior sim, Cic.: esto brevis, Hor.: brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio, Hor. – II) qualitativ: a) schmächtig, geschmeidig, mus, Ov. fast. 2, 574: forma, Ov. met. 5, 457. – b) kurz, gedrungen, pondus, Hor. sat. 2, 2, 37. – c) mager, knapp, gering, unbedeutend, dürftig, cena, Hor.: impensa, Ov.: insulae, Pallad.: vasculum, Pallad.