brevity

brev·i·ty /ˈbrevəti/ AWL noun [uncountableU] formal

1 SHORT/NOT LONGthe quality of expressing something in very few words 简洁，简练 → brief

Letters published in the newspaper are edited for brevity and clarity.

报上刊登的来信都要编辑得简洁明了。

2 SHORT TIMEthe quality of continuing for only a short time 短暂，短促 → brief

the brevity of her visit

她的短暂来访

Examples from the Corpus

brevity• Features of this sequence are brevity and variety.• For brevity it is worth using these little symbols which are easy to learn.• The speech was widely praised for its brevity.• Its brevity, awkward composition and lukewarm style of its writing stemmed from the Committee's revisions.• Most surprising is that such force gets evoked in such brevity of prose.• Fans were disappointed by the brevity of the concert.• I trust that the reader will therefore forgive the brevity of this survey.• Due to the brevity of this period a neurone can send action potentials at a rate of up to 1000 per second.• The tendency for earlier generations to lean so heavily on providence had been connected with the brevity and insecurity of life.

Origin brevity

(1400-1500) Latin brevitas, from brevis; → BRIEF1

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus

BNC: 18458 COCA: 20046

brevity