1. a usually accidental low-resistance connection between two points in an electric circuit, resulting in either excessive current flow that often causes damage or in a new shorter circuit that draws current away from the original pathways and components
2. popularly a disrupted electric circuit resulting from this

transitive verb

1. Elec. to make a short circuit in
2. to bypass (an obstruction, custom, etc.)
3. to cause a sudden break in; impede; thwart

intransitive verb