What does 'brevity is the soul of wit' mean?

Brevity is the Soul of Wit

The proverb 'brevity is the soul of wit' means that articulate and intelligent communication (speech and writing) should use as few words as possible. It is best associated with the play 'Hamlet,' by William Shakespeare.

FOOTNOTE

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the lines are spoken by Polonious, who is a long-winded fool and a knave as well, a man who exasperates the king and queen because he cannot seem to get to the point. Here is the context of the line:

LORD POLONIUS

This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad:
Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.

[spelvin]

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