A condition where a metal lacks ductility at elevated temperatures, causing it to tear or crumble during hot rolling or forging. This is typically caused by low-melting-point impurities, such as sulfur in steel, which segregate to the grain boundaries and melt while the bulk of the metal remains solid.
Heard on the job
The billet tore right down the middle on the first pass because the heat was too high and the steel was hot-short.