Words / B1

BREEF-ing/ˈbriːfɪŋ/

A briefing is a short official update: a press briefing; a staff briefing; a briefing note. Brief as an adjective means short (already in the dictionary); to brief is the verb. A meeting can be long; a bulletin is often broadcast. Do not call a two-hour workshop a briefing. In news, off-the-record briefings are a political sense.

Meaning

A short meeting or statement that gives the latest information.

Examples

• “Staff attended a briefing before the inspection started.”
• “Nurses attended a briefing before the inspection team arrived.”
• “The minister’s briefing lasted ten minutes and took no questions.”

Good to know

a press / staff briefing; briefing note. Verb: brief someone. Adjective: brief = short. Not a long workshop.

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