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bref

in short, briefly

adverb BREF Less Common
Grammar & Structure Adverbs

Origin: Latin brevis

Usage Note

Bref as an adverb is a discourse marker meaning 'in short' or 'to cut a long story short' — it signals a summary after a longer explanation. It can also function as an adjective (un discours bref — a brief speech), where the feminine is brève. The noun brève is also a short news item or a short syllable in prosody.

Examples

"Bref, il a décidé de partir."

Natural Translation

In short, he decided to leave.

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