What part of speech is the word brief?

The word "brief" can be several parts of speech depending on how it's used:

* Adjective: Describing something as short in duration or extent.

* Example: "He gave a brief speech."

* Noun: A short written summary or report.

* Example: "The lawyer provided a brief of the case."

* Verb: To make something shorter or more concise.

* Example: "Please brief me on the situation."

So, to determine the part of speech, you need to look at the context in which it is used.