[bre.vet] n [ME, an official message, fr. MF, fr. OF, dim. of brief letter--more at brief] (1689): a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received
[2]brevet vt bre.vet.ted or brev.et.ed ; bre.vet.ting or brev.et.ing (1824): to confer rank upon by brevet