Adjacent Words

short-circuit definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings"
2: create a short circuit in [syn: short-circuit, short]
3: avoid something unpleasant or laborious; "You cannot bypass these rules!" [syn: bypass, short-circuit, go around, get around]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Date: 1867 1. to apply a short circuit to or establish a short circuit in 2. bypass 2 3. frustrate, impede

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Short-circuit Short"-cir`cuit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Short-circuited; p. pr. & vb. n. Short-circuiting.] (Elec.) To join, as the electrodes of a battery or dynamo or any two points of a circuit, by a conductor of low resistance.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(short-circuits, short-circuiting, short-circuited) 1. If an electrical device short-circuits or if someone or something short-circuits it, a wrong connection or damaged wire causes electricity to travel along the wrong route and damage the device. Carbon dust and oil build up in large motors and cause them to short-circuit... Once inside they short-circuited the electronic security. VERB: V, V n • Short-circuit is also a noun. The fire was started by an electrical short-circuit. N-COUNT 2. If someone or something short-circuits a process or system, they avoid long or difficult parts of it and use a quicker, more direct method to achieve their aim. The approach was intended to short-circuit normal complaints procedures. VERB: V n