fuses

Noun (1)

fuse (plural fuses)

1. A wick or cord used to convey flame to gunpowder, a bomb, or similar explosive.
   • The Government, having lit the fuse, is not going to be allowed to flee the explosion.1962 October, “Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan”, in Modern Railways, page 220

   Synonyms:

   fusee, match

2. An otherwise stable arbitrarily long repeating pattern that, when perturbed from one end, destructively carries that perturbation at a constant speed to the other end.
3. (figuratively) A tendency to lose one's temper.
   • When talking about being laid off, he has a short fuse.
4. A friction match for smokers' use, having a bulbous head which when ignited is not easily blown out even in a gale of wind.

   Synonyms:

   fusee

5. A match made of paper impregnated with niter and having the usual igniting tip.

Noun (2)

fuse (plural fuses)

1. 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.

See all 14 meanings of fuse