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duced into a narrow compass, or into few words; short; brief; concise; compendious; as, a summary statement of facts.

in itself the essential qualities of a larger thing or of several things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief. An abstract of every treatise he had read. Watts. Man, the abstract Of all perfection, which the workmanship Of Heaven hath modeled. Ford.…

of a discourse, writing, or artistic representation; theme or topic; also, an abstract or summary, as of the contents of a book, chapter, poem. You and love are still my argument. Shak. The abstract or argument of the piece. Jeffrey. [Shields] with boastful argument portrayed. Milton.

and the composition is ascribed by some to Hilary, bishop of Arles (5th century). It is a summary of what was called the orthodox faith.

f a plaintiff's demand in an action, or of the defendant's set-off. -- Bill of rights, a summary of rights and privileges claimed by a people. Such was the declaration presented by the Lords and Commons of England to the Prince and Princess of Orange in 1688, and enacted in Parliament after they became king and queen.…

An abridgment; a compend; an epitome; a brief account or summary. A book entitled the abridgment or breviary of those roots that are to be cut up or gathered. Holland.

A short compend; a summary; a brief statement. I omit in this breviate to rehearse. Hakluyt. The same little breviates of infidelity have . . . been published and dispersed with great activity. Bp. Porteus.

A summary. [Obs.]

A book containing a summary of principles, especially of religious doctrine, reduced to the form of questions and answers. The Jews, even till this day, have their catechisms. Hooker. The Larger Catechism, The Shorter Catechism. See Westminster Assembly, under Assembly.

A summary in writing of such matters as are to be inquired of or presented before justices in eyre, or justices of assize, or of the peace, in their sessions; -- also called articles. Jacob.

ing another to violate the law. The Commandments, The Ten Commandments, the Decalogue, or summary of God's commands, given to Moses at Mount Sinai. (Ex. xx.)

A compendium; an epitome; a summary. A compend and recapitulation of the Mosaical law. Bp. Burnet.

principles, of a larger work or system; an abridgment; an epitome; a compend; a condensed summary. A short system or compendium of a sience. I. Watts.

That which is comrehended or inclosed within narrow limits; a summary; an epitome. [Obs.] Though not a catalogue of fundamentals, yet . . . a comprehension of them. Chillingworth.

or list of topics in a book, showing their order and the place where they may be found: a summary.

A definite summary of what is believed; esp., a summary of the articles of Christian faith; a confession of faith for public use; esp., one which is brief and comprehensive. In the Protestant system the creed is not coördinate with, but always subordinate to, the Bible. Schaff-Herzog Encyc.

), but is also specially given by authors to compilations of laws on particular topics; a summary of laws; as, Comyn's Digest; the United States Digest. A complete digest of Hindu and Mahommedan laws after the model of Justinian's celebrated Pandects. Sir W. Jones. They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy, c…

A small piece of paper or parchment, containing the heads of a writing; a summary or digest.

s for levers used in turning it. See Illust. of Capstan. Drumhead court-martial (Mil.), a summary court-martial called to try offenses on the battlefield or the line of march, when, sometimes, a drumhead has to do service as a writing table.

The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.