fuse

¹ American  

[fyooz] / fyuz /

noun

1. a tube, cord, or the like, filled or saturated with combustible matter, for igniting an explosive.

2. fuze.

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verb (used with object)

fused, fusing

1. fuze.

idioms

1. have a short fuse, to anger easily; have a quick temper.

fuse ² American  

[fyooz] / fyuz /

noun

1. Electricity. a protective device, used in an electric circuit, containing a conductor that melts under heat produced by an excess current, thereby opening the circuit.

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verb (used with object)

fused, fusing

1. to combine or blend by melting together; melt.

2. to unite or blend into a whole, as if by melting together.

   The author skillfully fuses these fragments into a cohesive whole.

verb (used without object)

fused, fusing

1. to become liquid under the action of heat; melt.

   At a relatively low temperature the metal will fuse.

2. to become united or blended.

   The two groups fused to create one strong union.

3. Chiefly British. to overload an electric circuit so as to burn out a fuse.

idioms

1. blow a fuse, to lose one's temper; become enraged.

   If I'm late again, they'll blow a fuse.

fuse ¹ British  

/ fjuːz /

verb

1. to unite or become united by melting, esp by the action of heat

   to fuse borax and copper sulphate at a high temperature

2. to become or cause to become liquid, esp by the action of heat; melt

3. to join or become combined; integrate

4. (tr) to equip (an electric circuit, plug, etc) with a fuse

5. to fail or cause to fail as a result of the blowing of a fuse

   the lights fused

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noun

1. a protective device for safeguarding electric circuits, etc, containing a wire that melts and breaks the circuit when the current exceeds a certain value

fuse ² British  

/ fjuːz /

noun

1. a lead of combustible black powder in a waterproof covering ( safety fuse ), or a lead containing an explosive ( detonating fuse ), used to fire an explosive charge

2. any device by which an explosive charge is ignited

3. See blow 1

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verb

1. (tr) to provide or equip with such a fuse

fuse Scientific  

/ fyo̅o̅z /

1. A safety device that protects an electric circuit from becoming overloaded. Fuses contain a length of thin wire (usually of a metal alloy) that melts and breaks the circuit if too much current flows through it. They were traditionally used to protect electronic equipment and prevent fires, but have largely been replaced by circuit breakers.

2. A cord of readily combustible material that is lighted at one end to carry a flame along its length to detonate an explosive at the other end.

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1. To melt something, such as metal or glass, by heating.

2. To blend two or more substances by melting.

fuse More Idioms  

1. see blow a fuse.

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Usage

What is a basic definition of fuse? Fuse means to unite or blend together. Fuse also refers to a protective device in an electrical current and to a tube or cord used to light explosives. Fuse is used in metalworking and similar industries to refer to combining metals by melting them down into liquids. In everyday use, fuse is used figuratively to mean to combine or unite anything as if they were melted together. For example, a band might fuse metal and electronic music to make a unique sound. Something that has been made by fusing things together is called a fusion.

• Real-life examples: Copper scraps can be fused together to make wires. Science fiction often fuses real science with fictional ideas. A mad scientist might fuse animals together to make monsters.
• Used in a sentence: The two kingdoms fused together to create a powerful nation. 

As a noun, fuse refers to a safety device designed to protect electrical equipment from melting or catching on fire. A fuse usually resembles a small rod or wire that is designed to melt from the heat of an electrical current that is moving too fast. Once the fuse melts, the electrical circuit is broken. This stops the current from moving and protects the more expensive or dangerous equipment from melting or catching on fire. Fuses are an extremely common safety device (alongside circuit breakers) and are usually kept in a fuse box located in a remote part of a house or building. The phrase blow a fuse comes from this sense of fuse.

• Real-life examples: Your house may have a fuse box that you can open to replace damaged fuses. Electronic devices such as televisions and computers almost always have fuses to prevent fires or explosions caused by electricity.
• Used in a sentence: The computer technician had to replace several blown fuses in the motherboard.  

The word fuse also refers to a cord, wire, rope, or similar object that is lit on fire in order to ignite an explosive. The purpose of a fuse is to delay an explosion.

• Real-life examples: Almost all fireworks have fuses to prevent them from exploding immediately, such as in a person’s hand. An explosive weapon such as a bomb might have a fuse so the user can run away before it explodes. Explosives used in manufacturing or mining, such as dynamite, may also have fuses for the same reason.
• Used in a sentence: She lit the fuse of the giant firecracker. 

Related Words

See melt ¹.

Other Word Forms

• fuseless adjective
• fuselike adjective

Etymology

Origin of fuse¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Italian fuso, from Latin fūsus “spindle” (i.e., a spindle-shaped tube filled with combustible matter)

Origin of fuse²

First recorded in 1675–85 for the verb; from Latin fūsus “melted, poured, cast,” past participle of fundere

Explanation

A fuse is something that burns in order to ignite a bomb. Do you see anything near you that resembles a bundle of dynamite sticks with a fuse burning down? If so, stop reading this and GET OUT OF HERE! Figuratively, if you say that someone has a short fuse, it means they get angry easily. If someone gets so angry they lose their temper, you can say that they blew a fuse. But this comes from another meaning of fuse — a device that interrupts the flow of electrical current so the system doesn’t get overloaded. If you use the toaster, microwave and dishwasher at the same time, you might literally blow a fuse. As a verb, if two things fuse, they blend or stick together.

Example Sentences

I have relied on each in my career, and starting my own business was a way to fuse them.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

It's extremely tempting to write a segue here about Wolf's career having had its own teething troubles – but, in truth, it's been more of a slow burn on a long fuse.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

But a heated argument coming from a house in Lee’s neighborhood became the next spark that lit a narrative fuse.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The gp350 protein helps the virus attach to human cells, while gp42 allows it to fuse with and enter those cells.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

At first, it looked like a typical maintenance tunnel, with electric cables, warning signs, and fuse boxes on the walls, lightbulbs in wire cages along the ceiling.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• blend
• coalesce
• combine
• dissolve
• integrate
• melt
• merge
• mingle
• weld