All 13 Uses of
brief
in
Crime and Punishment
Uses with a very common or rare meaning:
- "Since then, sir," he went on after a brief pause—"Since then, owing to an unfortunate occurrence and through information given by evil-intentioned persons—in all which Darya Frantsovna took a leading part on the pretext that she had been treated with want of respect—since then my daughter Sofya Semyonovna has been forced to take a yellow ticket, and owing to that she is unable to go on living with us.†
Chpt 1.2
- "Yes, I want a fortune," he answered firmly, after a brief pause.†
Chpt 1.3
- He looked his comrade up and down; then after a brief pause, he whistled.†
Chpt 2.2
- After brief hesitation he mounted the last stairs and went into the flat.†
Chpt 2.6
- But in brief and coherent phrases Raskolnikov explained his business clearly and exactly, and was so well satisfied with himself that he even succeeded in taking a good look at Porfiry.†
Chpt 3.5
- Excuse me for interrupting you; kindly be brief, and come to the object of your visit.†
Chpt 4.1
- "You say Katerina Ivanovna's mind is unhinged; your own mind is unhinged," he said after a brief silence.†
Chpt 4.4
- "I…. am the murderer," repeated Nikolay, after a brief pause.†
Chpt 4.6 *
- The brief remarks that dropped from Pyotr Petrovitch between the clicking of the beads on the reckoning frame betrayed unmistakable and discourteous irony.†
Chpt 5.1
- I haven't yet decided whether to take that money or not," he said, musing again; and, seeming to wake up with a start, he gave a brief ironical smile.†
Chpt 5.4
- Svidrigailov looked intently at Raskolnikov and suddenly, after a brief pause, dropping his voice, asked: "But how is it, Rodion Romanovitch; you don't seem yourself?†
Chpt 6.1
- "You've been misunderstanding me, I think, Rodion Romanovitch," he added after a brief pause, "that's why you are so surprised.†
Chpt 6.2
- If anything were to happen (though indeed I don't believe in it and think you quite incapable of it), yet in case you were taken during these forty or fifty hours with the notion of putting an end to the business in some other way, in some fantastic fashion—laying hands on yourself—(it's an absurd proposition, but you must forgive me for it) do leave a brief but precise note, only two lines, and mention the stone.†
Chpt 6.2
Definition:
-
(meaning too common or rare to warrant focus) Brief is most commonly encountered as an adjective meaning "of short duration." Other meanings derive from the idea of short--as when making a long story short by summarizing it, or when wearing briefs (underwear).