Also 4–5 breuette, 8 brevitt. [a. F. brevet a note, dim. of bref letter, etc.: see BRIEF.]
† 1. An official or authoritative message in writing; esp. a Papal Indulgence. Obs.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 71. He bonchede hem with his Breuet and blered heore eiȝen. Ibid. (1377), B. V. 649. I wil go fecche my box with my breuettes.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xii. This worthy Kyng … Hath his breuettes and his letters sent For his lordes to holde a parlement.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 462. He gave unto them … two brevets or letters to carrie unto the Ephori.
1652. Proc. Parliament, No. 109. 2659. Ingaged to signifie that Bul with the Brevet and Excommunication before the king here.
1721. Bailey, Brevet, a Brief, a Pope’s Bull. Old word.
a. 1754. Carte, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., II. 107. Council Brevitts, though of no authority in point of Evidence, yet for Information are often useful. [Not in Johnson, 1755.]
2. An official document granting certain privileges from a sovereign or government; spec. in the Army, a document conferring nominal rank on an officer, but giving no right to extra pay.
1689. Burnet, Tracts, I. 25. Had a brevet to be a Marischal of France.
1721. Lond. Gaz., No. 5952/2. The Duke of Chartres … holds this Employment by a Brevet only.
1811. Wellington, Lett., in Gurw., Disp., VII. 557. Six Majors … to be promoted by brevet to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
1844. Regul. & Ord. Army, 3. When Regiments or Detachments are united … in Camp … the Eldest Officer, whether by brevet or otherwise, is to command the whole.
b. transf. and fig.
1819. Edin. Rev., XXXI. 279. Any blockhead who could produce a sonnet … obtained a brevet of poet.
1861. Sat. Rev., 23 Nov., 533. The Church … offers an easy entrance to the stupid … a brevet of gentility to those who feel their need of it.
3. attrib. or quasi-adj., as in brevet officer, rank.
1781. A. Hamilton, in Sparks, Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853), III. 302. I have used the term Brevet … as signifying, in general, all officers not attached to any established corps.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 243. All the commissioned and brevet officers of the army and navy.
1836. Penny Cycl., V. 402/1. Brevet rank does not exist in the royal navy.
1868. Regul. & Ord. Army, ¶ 27. Captains having the brevet rank of Field Officers … do duty as field Officers in Camp and Garrison.
b. transf. and fig.
1829. Scott, Demonol., x. 357. One of those accredited ghost tales which attain a sort of brevet rank as true.
1856. Thackeray, Christm. Bks. (1872), 21. The two old ladies have taken the brevet rank, and are addressed as Mrs. Jane and Mrs. Betsy.
