fuse
noun · verb
Simple meaning
An electrical device that can interrupt the flow of electrical current when it is overloaded.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
fyoozIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈfjuz
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
electrical engineering
An electrical device that can interrupt the flow of electrical current when it is overloaded
electrical engineering
A device to prevent excessive overcurrent from overload or short circuit in an electrical circuit, containing a component that melts and interrupts the current when too high a load is passed through it.
A cord that, when lit, conveys the fire to some explosive device, such as a bomb.
manufacturingminingmilitary
The mechanism that ignites the charge in an explosive device; a detonator.
A kind of match for starting a fire
A friction match for smokers' use, having a bulbous head which when ignited is not easily blown out even in a gale of wind.
verb
Become plastic or fluid or liquefied from heat
“The substances fused at a very high temperature.”
transitive
To liquify by heat; melt.
Mix together different elements
transitive
To melt together; to blend; to mix indistinguishably.
Equip with a fuse; provide with a fuse
To furnish with or install a fuse in (an explosive device).
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: An electrical device that can interrupt the flow of electrical current when it is overloaded
Used this way, fuse is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is an engineering use: it is a working term used for accuracy on the job.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
- Science
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use fuse
- “The substances fused at a very high temperature.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
An electrical device that can interrupt the flow of electrical current when it is overloaded.
A fuse containing an explosive.
A fuse with a thread that screws into a socket.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.