terse

adj

Etymology: From Latin tersus (“clean, cleansed, rubbed or wiped off; neat, spruce; terse”), perfect passive participle of Latin tergeō, tergō (“to clean, cleanse, rub, wipe, wipe off”).

1. Of speech or style: brief, concise, to the point.

   “In eight terse lines has Phædrus told / (So frugal were the Bards of old) / A Tale of Goats; and clos'd with grace / Plan, Moral, all, in that ſhort space.”

   “Your last series contains some of the neatest, tersest, and most unpretendingly original criticism, I have lately met with.”

2. Of manner or speech: abruptly or brusquely short; curt.

   “'Laura!' The voice halting her was terse. Brusque. She turned. [...] 'Before I go,' he said, and his voice was terse, tighter than ever. 'I want to ensure you understand something.'”

   “My voice was terser than I intended, but what the hell. The night was turning out to be interesting in some ways and extremely frustrating in others.”

3. Burnished, polished; fine, smooth; neat, spruce.

   “By Phœbus, here's a moſt neate fine ſtreete; is't not? I proteſt to thee, I am enamord of this ſtreete now, more then of halfe the ſtreetes of Rome, againe; tis ſo polite, and terſe; [...]”