Fuse Definition: Electrical Safety Device Explained

Meaning 1：electrical safety device (fuse)

fuse 🔊

/fjuːz/

A small safety part in a wire. If the electric current gets too strong, it melts and breaks the circuit to stop the electricity.

Fuse replacement in fusebox showing blown and new fuse

electrical safety device 🔊

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/ɪˈlektrɪkəl ˈseɪfti dɪˈvaɪs/

A small metal or wire component in an electrical circuit designed to melt and break the circuit if the current exceeds a safe level, preventing damage or fire.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'fusus' (melted), referring to the metal that melts to break the circuit.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'fuse' = 'fizz' + 'use': when overloaded, it fizzes and melts—your safety use!

📖 Example

The fuse blew last night when I turned on both the TV and the air conditioner at the same time. 🔊 The fuse blew last night when I turned on both the TV and the air conditioner at the same time.

🔗 Collocations

blow a fuse – cause the fuse to melt and break the circuit due to excessive current

replace a fuse – install a new fuse after the old one has blown

fuse box – a container or panel that holds multiple fuses for a building's electrical system

🔄 Synonyms

circuit breaker (n.) – a reusable switch that automatically interrupts current when overloaded, serving a similar safety purpose

safety cut-out (n.) – a device that cuts off power when a fault is detected, often used in older electrical systems

overcurrent protector (n.) – a generic term for any component that guards against excessive current

🚫 Antonyms

conductor (n.) – a material that allows electric current to flow freely, opposite to the interrupting function of a fuse

🌱 Derivatives

fused (adj.) – having a fuse or being protected by a fuse (e.g., a fused plug)

fusible (adj.) – capable of being melted, as in fusible metal used in fuses

fuser (n.) – a person or device that fuses something, though rarely used for electrical fuses

📖 Cultural Story

The fuse as a safety device was invented in the 1880s by Thomas Edison. The name comes from its function: the metal strip 'fuses' (melts) when overloaded, cutting power to prevent fires.