circuit breaker
• noun
An automatic electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overcurrent or short circuit by interrupting the current flow.
"When the lightning storm caused a sudden power surge, the main circuit breaker tripped to prevent a fire."
A regulatory measure in financial markets that temporarily halts trading on an exchange to curb panic-selling and prevent market crashes.
"As the stock market plummeted by seven percent within the first hour of trading, a Level 1 circuit breaker was triggered, pausing all trading for fifteen minutes."
A short-term, strict intervention or restriction implemented to halt the rapid escalation of a crisis, such as the spread of an infectious disease.
"The government announced a two-week circuit breaker to reduce transmission rates and ease the burden on local hospitals."
Word Nuance & Usage
In electrical contexts, a circuit breaker is frequently compared to a fuse; however, a circuit breaker can be reset after tripping, whereas a traditional fuse melts and must be replaced.
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Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.