The plasticity of wood is increased by wetting, heating, and especially by steaming and boiling.

Were it not for this property it would be impossible to dry wood without destroying completely its cohesion, due to the irregularity of shrinkage.
A substance that can undergo little change in shape without breaking or rupturing is ~brittle~.

Chalk and glass are common examples of brittle materials.

Sometimes the word _brash_ is used to describe this condition in wood.

A brittle wood breaks suddenly with a clean instead of a splintery fracture and without warning.