watching brief

: to keep vigil as a devotional exercise

: to be awake during the night

: to be attentive or vigilant

: the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend

: the state of being wakeful

: a wake over a dead body

: short in duration, extent, or length

: concise

: curt, abrupt

: an official letter or mandate (see ¹mandate 1)

: a specific instruction or responsibility

: a concise article (as in a newspaper)

: to make an abstract or abridgment of

: to give final precise instructions to

: to coach thoroughly in advance