society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > iron > [adjective] > brittle (5)
= red-short, adj. Also as n.
Said of iron: Brittle in its cold state.
Designating iron and steel that is brittle when red-hot, typically because of an excess of sulphur in the metal. Opposed to cold-short. Cf. hot short…
Of iron: brittle when hot.
= red-short, adj. Obsolete. rare.