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 papal letter less formal than a bull

:  a specific instruction or responsibility

:  to make an abstract or abridgment of

:  to give final precise instructions to

:  to coach thoroughly in advance