brit´tle|ness

brit´tle|ness
brit|tle «BRIHT uhl», adjective, noun.
–adj.
1. very easily broken; breaking with a snap; apt to break: »

Thin glass and ice are brittle.

SYNONYM(S): fragile, frail.
2. of a sharp quality: »

disapproval in a brittle tone of voice.

3. cool and formal; unfriendly: »

a brittle manner.

4. insecure, unstable, or changeable: »

The brittle tribute of his praise (Richard Brinsley Sheridan).

5. Obsolete. perishable.
–n.
U.S. a candy of caramelized sugar and nuts, made in thin, hard sheets, broken into pieces for eating: »

peanut brittle.

[Middle English britel < Old English brēotan to break]
brit´tle|ness, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • brit|tle — «BRIHT uhl», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. very easily broken; breaking with a snap; apt to break: »Thin glass and ice are brittle. SYNONYM(S): fragile, frail. 2. of a sharp quality: »disapproval in a brittle tone of voice. 3. cool and formal;… …   Useful english dictionary

  • brit — brit·ain; brit·i·cism; brit·ish·er; brit·ish·ism; brit·ish·ly; brit·on; brit·ta·ny; brit·ton·ic; brit; brit·ish; brit·tle; brit·ish·ness; brit·tle·ly; brit·tle·ness; brit·tly; ca·brit; em·brit·tle·ment; …   English syllables

  • ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… …   English syllables

  • tle — abris·tle; abus·tle; apos·tle; apos·tle·hood; apos·tle·ship; bait·tle; bat·tle·dore; bat·tle·ment; bat·tle·ment·ed; bat·tle·some; be·lit·tle; be·lit·tle·ment; bot·tle·ful; bris·tle·less; brus·tle; but·tle; cac·o·mis·tle; cas·tle·ry; cas·tle·ward; …   English syllables

  • brittleness — brit·tle·ness …   English syllables

  • brittle — brit|tle [ brıtl ] adjective 1. ) a brittle substance or object is hard and can easily break into pieces: Don t pack fragile or brittle objects in your suitcase. a ) a brittle relationship or situation is not very strong and could easily be… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • brittle — brit•tle [[t]ˈbrɪt l[/t]] adj. tler, tlest, 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 3) lacking warmth, sensitivity …   From formal English to slang

  • Brittleness — Brit tle*ness, n. Aptness to break; fragility. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • EM — EM; Em; em·a·gram; em·a·nant; em·a·nate; em·a·na·tion; em·a·na·tion·ism; em·a·na·tion·ist; em·a·na·tive; em·a·na·tor; em·a·na·tory; em·a·nom·e·ter; em·ba·dom·o·nas; em·bale; em·ball; em·bal·lo·nu·ri·dae; em·balm; em·balm·er; em·balm·ment;… …   English syllables

  • ment — abate·ment; al·i·ment; ap·prove·ment; aug·ment; ce·ment; com·ment; com·part·ment; com·ple·ment; com·pli·ment; con·sign·ment; de·ment; de·part·ment; dis·place·ment; doc·u·ment; el·e·ment; en·ti·tle·ment; en·vi·ron·ment; es·tab·lish·ment;… …   English syllables

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