Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Marked by speed, liveliness, and vigor; energetic.
  • adjective Keen or sharp in speech or manner.
  • adjective Stimulating and invigorating.
  • adjective Pleasantly zestful.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Quick or rapid in action or motion; exhibiting quickness; lively; swift; nimble: as, a brisk breeze.
  • Sprightly; animated; vivacious; gay: as, “a brisk, gamesome lass,”
  • L'Estrange.
  • Full of lively or exciting action or events; exciting; interesting.
  • Burning freely; bright: as, a brisk fire.
  • Effervescing vigorously: said of liquors: as, brisk cider.
  • Performed or kept up with briskness; rapid; quick: as, a brisk fire of infantry.
  • Vivid; luminous.
  • Synonyms Alert, nimble, quick, rapid, sprightly, prompt, spry, smart, bustling, wide-awake, eager. See active and busy.
  • To make lively; enliven; animate; refresh: sometimes with up.
  • To become brisk, lively, or active: with up.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • verb To make or become lively; to enliven; to animate; to take, or cause to take, an erect or bold attitude; -- usually with up.
  • adjective Full of liveliness and activity; characterized by quickness of motion or action; lively; spirited; quick.
  • adjective Full of spirit of life; effervesc�ng, as liquors; sparkling.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Full of liveliness and activity; characterized by quickness of motion or action; lively; spirited; quick.
  • adjective Full of spirit of life; effervescing, as liquors; sparkling; as, brisk cider.
  • adjective Stimulating or invigorating.
  • adjective Abrupt, curt in one's manner or in relation to others.
  • verb transitive, often with "up" To make or become lively; to enliven; to animate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective very active
  • adjective imparting vitality and energy
  • adjective quick and energetic
  • verb become brisk

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably of Scandinavian origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Uncertain. Compare Welsh brysg and French brusque.

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Examples

  • John Hagan, managing director and co-head of the defense and government services unit of BB&T Capital Markets/Windsor Group, said he expects the pace of mergers and acquisitions to remain brisk through the end of the year.

    Defense contractors on offensive Marjorie Censer 2010

  • John Hagan, managing director and co-head of the defense and government services unit of BB&T Capital Markets/Windsor Group, said he expects the pace of mergers and acquisitions to remain brisk through the end of the year.

    Defense contractors on offensive Marjorie Censer 2010

  • The activities come in brisk sequence, following a routine the kids know by heart, so no time is lost in transition.

    What Makes a Great Teacher? 2010

  • In an effort to end what it describes as a brisk black market in Puerto Rican birth certificates, which confer U.S. citizenship, the Puerto Rican government decided in December to invalidate all existing birth certificates.

    Puerto Rico scraps birth records « 2010

  • Then I started to walk feeling brisk from the lunch and soon was upon a cave.

    Little Peebles Susan Tepper 2010

  • John Hagan, managing director and co-head of the defense and government services unit of BB&T Capital Markets/Windsor Group, said he expects the pace of mergers and acquisitions to remain brisk through the end of the year.

    Defense contractors on offensive Marjorie Censer 2010

  • The activities come in brisk sequence, following a routine the kids know by heart, so no time is lost in transition.

    What Makes a Great Teacher? 2010

  • Two extra assistants had been engaged for the following afternoon, and their services were in brisk demand; the shop was crowded.

    literature 2007

  • She was in, for she called a brisk "come" in answer to Betty's knock.

    Betty Wales Senior Margaret Warde

  • His mouth always held a pipe, which he smoked in short, brisk whiffs, as though expecting to be interrupted at any moment by an iceberg.

    Where the Blue Begins Christopher Morley 1923

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