short circuit

plural short circuits · alternative short-circuit

1. businessA usually unintentional connection of low resistance or impedance in a circuit such that excessive and often damaging current flows in it.

   1 more example

   One issue surrounds residual current devices (RCDs), the safety devices found in fuse boxes that sense when current is leaking to ground – a sign of electrocution or a short circuit – and almost instantaneously cut power. Most RCDs used in the UK aren’t suitable for current flowing in both directions and so could malfunction. In the US, the set-up is different but there are similar problems. One reason why Germany has managed to move so quickly [on plug-in solar panels] is that by coincidence it standardised bi-directional RCDs in the 1980s.

   2026 April 1, Matthew Sparkes, “Plug-in solar is coming – how dangerous is it and is it worth it? Plug-in solar panels are a cheaper, simpler alternative to professionally installed panels. But can they really reduce energy bills and are they safe?”, in New Scientist, retrieved 16 Jun 2026

   Synonyms: short

2. broadlyfigurativelyA logical disconnect, such as cognitive dissonance or poor analysis.

   The Jewish Community Relations Council does work on racism and multicultural issues, but they don't address anti-Arab racism in this work. They see that as 'political.' It's like they have a short-circuit inside them.

   1990 February 11, Tatiana Schreiber, quoting Sharon Jaffe, “End the Occupation!”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 30, page 10

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   Just the thought of being in a crisis that we cannot buy, build or invest our way out of seems to create some kind of collective mental short-circuit. This mix of ignorance, denial and unawareness is the very heart of the problem

   2020 August 19, Damian Carrington, quoting Greta Thunberg et. al., “Another two years lost to climate inaction, says Greta Thunberg”, in The Guardian

present singular third person short circuits · participle present short circuiting · participle past short circuited · past short circuited · alternative short-circuit

1. transitiveTo cause a short circuit in.

   In the motor control room aft, a crewman crashed against the main electrical switchboard, short-circuiting it with his body, and all power aboard was lost.

   1984, Tom Clancy, “The Eighth Day: Friday, 10 December”, in The Hunt for Red October, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, page 193

2. intransitiveTo undergo a short circuit.

   Synonyms: short out

3. broadlytransitiveTo force termination of an ongoing process before its natural conclusion, by bypassing one or more intermediary steps.

   You do not need to follow your entire sales cycle if the customer wants to short-circuit it for you.

   2002, Jim Kasper, Short Cycle Selling: Beating Your Competitors in the Sales Race

   2 more examples

   [H]is temporarily successful attempt to smear Redfield is an effort to short-circuit the narrative into premature and mistaken resolution.

   1998, Catherine Nickerson, The Web of Iniquity

   My mother, determined to short-circuit my outcry, would match my objections by pointing out an inherent reward for doing such work.

   2003, Gina Hens-Piazza, Nameless, Blameless, and Without Shame: Two Cannibal Mothers Before a King

4. broadlytransitiveTo impede or disrupt.

   1 more example

   At times, the Knicks’ offense looked short-circuited. Anthony, despite his cold hand, kept shooting. / “They all feel good, to be honest with you,” Anthony said. “It wasn’t long, it wasn’t short, they were bouncing off the rim, they were chippers, the same shot I hit all the time so I can’t stop taking my shots.”

   2016 November 28, Mike Vorkunov, “Despite Flash of Rose’s Prime, Knicks Are Dazed by Westbrook and Thunder”, in The New York Times

5. transitiveTo bypass, especially by overhastiness.

   By multiplying interpretive registers, however, Baudelaire's text short-circuits the desire for identification as well as erodes any rigid allegorical mapping.

   2014, Zahi Zalloua, Reading Unruly, page 172

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   By insisting that "style" is the only way to exert your undeserving self upon the world these books short-circuit the chance for, and even the need for, the possibility of change in the lives of people or the culture.

   1982 February 6, Michael Bronski, “A Very Stale Crisp”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 28, page 11

6. transitivecomputingTo terminate a loop before the declared termination condition is met, or a conditional before all conditions have been tested for.

   If you would like to short-circuit, you must replace "And" with the "AndAlso" keyword and "Or" with the "OrElse" keyword, as follows....

   2002, Jose Mojico, C# and VB.NET Conversion Pocket Reference

   2 more examples

   For example, to short-circuit the "LoggedIn()" or "LogIn()" "if" conditional, replace the "Or" with "OrElse" and the statement is interpreted to mean "if not logged in, then log in".

   2002, Paul Kimmel, Visual Basic.Net Unleashed

   The "Demand" is done to ensure that you have indeed been granted this permission before using the "Assert" to short-circuit the stackwalk.

   2006, Jay Hillard, Stephen Teilhet, C# Cookbook