n. & adj.
--n. (pl. -ies) a brief account; an abridgement.
--adj.
1. dispensing with needless details or formalities; brief (a summary account).
2 Law (of a trial etc.) without the customary legal formalities (summary justice).
Phrases and idioms:
summary conviction a conviction made by a judge or magistrates without a jury. summary jurisdiction the authority of a court to use summary proceedings and arrive at a judgement. summary offence an offence within the scope of a summary court.
Derivatives:
summarily adv. summariness n.
Etymology: ME f. L summarium f. L summa SUM