short out
B1 neutral separable both
In simple words
To stop working because electricity goes the wrong way inside something
Literal meaning: To create a short circuit — fairly transparent in an electrical context
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To fail suddenly because of a short circuit in an electrical system
"The old wiring in the basement shorted out during the rainstorm."
2 B1 neutral
To cause an electrical device to fail by creating a short circuit
"Spilling coffee on the keyboard completely shorted out the laptop."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Used in electrical and technical contexts. Can be intransitive ('the motor shorted out') or transitive ('the water shorted out the motor'). Common in everyday speech when electrical appliances fail unexpectedly.
Commonly used with
circuit fuse motor wiring device phone panel
Forms
Base
short out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shorts out
he/she/it
Past simple
shorted out
yesterday
Past participle
shorted out
have + pp
-ing form
shorting out
continuous
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