short circuit
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.41 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A usually unintentional connection of low resistance or impedance in a circuit such that excessive and often damaging current flows in it.
noun
A logical disconnect, such as cognitive dissonance or poor analysis.
verb
To force termination of an ongoing process before its natural conclusion, by bypassing one or more intermediary steps.
Transitive verb
verb
To terminate a loop before the declared termination condition is met, or a conditional before all conditions have been tested for.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "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."
- "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"
- "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."
- "[H]is temporarily successful attempt to smear Redfield is an effort to short-circuit the narrative into premature and mistaken resolution."
- "You do not need to follow your entire sales cycle if the customer wants to short-circuit it for you."