| 释义 |
brittlebrit‧tle /ˈbrɪtl/ adjective   brittleOrigin: 1300-1400 Old English gebryttan ‘to break into pieces’ - Perming makes your hair more brittle.
- Relations between the two countries are still very brittle.
- The building's electrical wiring was worn and brittle, causing a fire hazard.
- The paper was old and brittle.
- But the comic form he has chosen is too brittle to contain his appalled indignation.
- The result was a sweaty medley, harsh and brittle on the surface, but cheesy and rotten underneath.
- The thick slash lying everywhere had been packed down, and decay had made it brittle.
- Then the brittle pupal case had cracked at the top, where the adult moth had emerged.
► fragile easily broken or damaged: · The documents are old and very fragile.· a fragile glass case· The seventeenth century wall hangings are extremely fragile. ► delicate easily damaged – used especially about things that are made from thin material and look attractive: · a delicate gold necklace· The plant has delicate blue flowers.· delicate fabrics ► brittle brittle hair, nails, bones etc have a hard surface, but they break easily, especially because they are not in good condition: · As you get older, your bones become more brittle.· a special shampoo for dry and brittle hair ► breakable breakable objects must be handled carefully because they will break easily: · Put breakable objects out of the reach of children.· breakable ornaments ► flimsy made of thin material that tears easily, or badly-made and likely to break easily: · a flimsy cotton shirt· a flimsy wooden table ► frail especially literary not strong and therefore easy to break, damage, or hurt: · The young trees are frail and need to be protected from the wind.· a frail little fishing boat· a frail old lady easily broken► breakable objects that are breakable break easily because they are made of glass or another thin, hard material, and must be handled carefully: · Put breakable objects out of the reach of children.· Many laboratories spend thousands of dollars a year on breakable glass equipment. ► fragile not strong and therefore very easily broken or damaged: · The parcel was marked FRAGILE -- HANDLE WITH CARE.· The museum sends fragile porcelain objects to specialists to be restored. ► delicate something that is delicate is easily broken or damaged, especially because it is made of very thin material, and is attractive to look at: · The tea was served in delicate china cups.· a delicate gold necklace ► brittle hard and easily broken, especially because of being old and dry: · Perming makes your hair more brittle.· The building's electrical wiring was worn and brittle, causing a fire hazard. ► crisp something that is crisp is hard, thin, and breaks easily when you press on it: · The crisp, dry leaves rustled underneath her feet.· Brush the tops of the loaves with cold water, which helps form the crisp crust for which French bread is famous. NOUN► bone· Osteoporosis Otherwise known as brittle bone disease, osteoporosis is a major cause of disability and premature death.· Toning exercises also help protect against the brittle bone disease osteoporosis.· He felt drawn, close to exhaustion, his skin stretched tight, like parchment, over his brittle bones.· In brittle bone disease, collagen is abnormal in strength or in the links between the fibres.· As the Venets' experience shows, trying to avoid fractures in brittle bone children can be very difficult. 1hard but easily broken:  The branches were dry and brittle. Joanna was diagnosed as having brittle bones.2a situation, relationship, or feeling that is brittle is easily damaged or destroyed: He spoke with the brittle confidence of someone who, underneath, was very worried.3showing no warm feelings: a brittle laugh |