terse
/tə:s/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Brief and to the point; effectively concise: Using few words to express an idea clearly, sometimes to the point of seeming abrupt or lacking warmth.
- Curt or laconic in style: Characterized by a style of speech or writing that is notably short and direct, potentially bordering on rudeness due to its brevity.
Usage and Examples
- Adjective:
- Her terse email contained only the essential facts: "Meeting at 3 PM. Bring report."
- The officer gave a terse nod and walked away, ending the conversation.
- The author's writing style is famously terse, with no unnecessary adjectives or flourishes.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Terse often implies efficiency but can carry a negative connotation of brusqueness or impatience, depending on context.
- His terse apology—"My mistake"—did little to soothe her feelings.
- It is frequently used to describe communication under pressure or where time is limited.
- In an emergency, instructions must be clear and terse.
Variants and Related Words
- Tersely (adverb): In a terse manner.
- "No," she replied tersely.
- Terseness (noun): The quality of being terse.
- The terseness of the message left room for misunderstanding.
Synonyms
- Concise: Expressing much in few words (generally positive).
- Succinct: Briefly and clearly expressed.
- Laconic: Using very few words, often implying a deliberate or mysterious brevity.
- Curt: Rudely brief (generally negative).
Antonyms
- Verbose: Using more words than needed.
- Prolix: Extending to great, tedious length.
- Wordy: Using too many words.
Idiomatic Usage
- While "terse" itself is not commonly the core of idioms, it describes the style of many idiomatic expressions of brevity.
- "The less said, the better" is a terse piece of advice.
Adjective
- brief and to the point; effectively cut short; `yes'"
- a crisp retort
- a response so curt as to be almost rude
- the laconic reply
- short and terse and easy to understand