bypass
bypass Lexical Profile
bypass Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A road or highway that passes around a densely populated area, town, or congested district to allow through traffic to flow without local delays.
"The new highway bypass significantly reduced commuter traffic through the historic town center."
A surgical procedure that creates an alternative passage for the flow of blood or other bodily fluids around a blocked or damaged organ or vessel, especially in the heart or stomach.
"He recovered remarkably well after undergoing a triple coronary bypass last autumn."
A secondary pipe, channel, or electrical circuit that provides an alternative route for fluid, gas, or electric current around a main component.
"The engineer opened the safety bypass to relieve excess pressure in the main steam line."
• verb
To go past or around a place, obstacle, or congested area rather than traveling directly through it.
"We took the coastal route to bypass the heavy construction on the main interstate."
To circumvent, ignore, or avoid a standard rule, formal procedure, or level of authority in order to achieve a result more quickly.
"The committee voted to bypass the usual review process so the emergency funding could be released immediately."
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century as a compound of the prefix 'by-' (meaning secondary or side) and 'pass' (a route or passage), originally referring to a secondary pipe or channel for diverting gas or water.