Short circuit
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 A usually unintentional connection of low resistance or impedance in a circuit such that excessive and often damaging current flows in it.
- 2 accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference wordnet
- 1 To cause a short circuit in. broadly, transitive
"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."
- 2 To undergo a short circuit. intransitive
- 3 To force termination of an ongoing process before its natural conclusion, by bypassing one or more intermediary steps. broadly, transitive
"[H]is temporarily successful attempt to smear Redfield is an effort to short-circuit the narrative into premature and mistaken resolution."
- 4 To impede or disrupt. broadly, transitive
"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.”"
- 5 To bypass, especially by overhastiness. transitive
"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."
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- 6 To terminate a loop before the declared termination condition is met, or a conditional before all conditions have been tested for. transitive
"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"."
Example
More examples"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."
Etymology
short + circuit