brittle: Meaning and Definition of

brit•tle

Pronunciation: (brit'l), [key]
— adj., n., v., -tler, -tlest, -tled, -tling.
—adj.
  1. having hardness and rigidity but little tensile strength; breaking readily with a comparatively smooth fracture, as glass.
  2. easily damaged or destroyed; fragile; frail: a brittle marriage.
  3. lacking warmth, sensitivity, or compassion; aloof; self-centered: a self-possessed, cool, and rather brittle person.
  4. having a sharp, tense quality: a brittle tone of voice.
  5. unstable or impermanent; evanescent.
—n.
  1. a confection of melted sugar, usually with nuts, brittle when cooled: peanut brittle.
—v.i.
  1. to be or become brittle; crumble.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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