breve

plural breves · alternative brieve

1. communicationsA semicircular diacritical mark (˘) placed above a vowel, commonly used to mark its quantity as short.

   Synonyms: micron · Antonyms: macron

2. entertainmentA double whole note; a note twice as long as a semibreve.
3. lawAny writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.

   1 more example

   But what, are you puzzling in your pockets to seek your only memorial among old play bills, letters requesting a meeting of the Faculty, rules of the Speculative Society, syllabus' of lectures—all the miscellaneous contents of a young lawyer's pocket, which contains every thing but brieves and bank-notes?

   1818 July 25, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], “I. Being Introductory.”, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series, […] (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, page 45

4. biologyA pitta, all of which have more or less short tails.

plural breves

1. An equal mix of espresso and half and half cream.