Short of French cheese, only one piece of fromage (5)
I believe the answer is:
brief
'short' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'french cheese only one piece of fromage' is the wordplay.
'french cheese' becomes 'brie' (brie is a French cheese).
'only one piece of' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'fromage' is 'f'.
'brie'+'f'='BRIEF'
'of' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for brief that I've seen before include "brusque > QC, perhaps" , "Instructions for barrister" , "Barrister (sl.)" , "Solicitor" , "Short or concise" .)