short circuit

short circuit abnormal connection of low resistance between two points of a circuit that usually causes a high, potentially damaging current to flow. To protect against damage, devices such as a fuse or a circuit breaker are used. They sense the excess current and break the circuit so that no current can flow. They must be replaced or reset manually once the cause of the short circuit is removed.

short cir·cuit • n. in a device, an electrical circuit of lower resistance than that of a normal circuit, typically resulting from the unintended contact of components and consequent accidental diversion of the current. • v. (short-cir·cuit) (with reference to an electrical device) malfunction or fail, or cause to do this, as a result of a short circuit across it: [intr.] the birds caused the electricity supply to short-circuit | [tr.] water had leaked into the washing machine's motor, short-circuiting it. ∎  [tr.] fig. shorten (a process or activity) by using a more direct (but often improper) method: the normal processes of a democracy should not be short-circuited.