briefs en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /bɹiːfs/
Meanings
-
(plural, plural-only) A very short, close-fitting type of underpants.
[S]he learned not to iron my footy briefs and leave creases in them - the blokes bagged my creases for weeks[.]
1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 124:A white tiger sat at the entrance, showing its white fangs in a wide-open bloody mouth. The sinister decorum would make you wet your briefs.
2010, Robert Trando, Letters Of A Vietnamese Émigré, page 83:Briefs for men and women were not popular in America until the 1930s.
2008, Dan Peek, Why Do They Dress That Way?: People’s Place Book No. 7, page 80:Yes, Gentlemen’s Quarterly wrote that Archie wears briefs, like it was something everyone wanted to know.
2012, Dan Stephenson, The Underwater Widow:
-
(form-of, plural) plural of brief
form of brief
-
(plural, plural-only) Swimming briefs.
I fetched my briefs, pulled them on, and we left the changing room.
2012, Luis Algorri, You’ll Hear From Me: A Gay Story about Passion and Love:
-
(Australia, informal, plural, plural-only) Male underpant bikini briefs.
Galvanised, I jumped--the clatter of keys rang clear as I thrust the knife, handle down, into the back of my briefs.
2012, Joe Tog, Aussie Prison Breaks: Not All Escapees Are Desperados:
- (euphemistic, plural, plural-only) An adult diaper.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| brief | attributive | lexicographic |
Deriveds
protective briefs · jockey briefs · boxer briefs · racing briefs · swim briefs · control brief · incontinence briefs · midway briefs · tanga briefs · bikini briefs · diaper briefs · swimming briefs · trunk briefs
Synonyms
Translations (34)
fi pikkuhousut (male underwear) · nl slip (male underwear) · it slip (male underwear) · arz سلب (male underwear) · he תחתונים (male underwear) · hu alsónadrág (male underwear) · fi alushousut (male underwear) · pl gatki (male underwear) · lb Slip (male underwear) · pt cueca (male underwear) · pl gacie (male underwear) · cs slipy (male underwear) · th กางเกงใน (male underwear) · pl majtki (male underwear) · fr bobettes (male underwear) · es calzoncillo (male underwear) · ja ブリーフ (male underwear) · de Unterhose (male underwear) · ru трусы́ (male underwear) · hu gatya (male underwear) · fr slip (male underwear) · es slip (male underwear) · arz كلوت (male underwear) · th กางเกงลิง (male underwear) · cmn 貼身短內褲 /贴身短内裤 (male underwear) · ru бри́фы (male underwear) · es trusa (male underwear) · arz لباس (male underwear) · pl slipy (male underwear) · arz أندر (male underwear) · ar سِرْوَال اَلسُّنَة (male underwear) · eo kalsoneto (male underwear) · cy trônsiau (male underwear) · cy trôns (male underwear)