noun any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.
2. breve ·noun a curved mark used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.
3. breve ·noun the great ant thrush of sumatra (pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.
4. breve ·noun a note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. when dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. it was formerly of a square figure (as thus: / ), but is now made oval, with a line perpendicular to the staff on each of its sides;
formerly much used for choir service.