short circuit
"Short circuit" originates from electrical engineering, describing an unintended path in a circuit that causes excessive current flow. The term is also used metaphorically in various fields.
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Definition
B2Electrical Engineering
(technical)An unintended low-resistance path in a circuit that causes excessive current flow, often leading to damage or fire.
Example
- A short circuit in the wiring caused the lights to go out.
- The technician fixed the short circuit to prevent further damage.
C1Computing
(technical)A programming technique where the second part of a logical operation is only evaluated if the first part does not determine the outcome.
Example
- In the expression 'true || false', the false part is not evaluated due to short circuit evaluation.
- Short circuiting can improve the efficiency of conditional statements.
B2General
(metaphor)To bypass or interrupt a process, preventing it from reaching its natural conclusion.
Example
- The manager short-circuited the project by skipping crucial steps.
- His impatience short-circuited the negotiations, leading to an abrupt end.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "short circuit":
run shortshort astop shortclosed circuitgo shortcut shortcircuit breakershort downshort codecrossed wirescome short