The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Short circuit \Short" cir"cuit\ (Elec.)
   A circuit formed or closed by a conductor of relatively low
   resistance because shorter or of relatively great
   conductivity.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

short circuit
    n 1: accidental contact between two points in an electric
         circuit that have a potential difference [syn: short
         circuit, short]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

38 Moby Thesaurus words for "short circuit":
   amplify, break, broken circuit, charge, circuit, circuital field,
   closed circuit, complete circuit, dead circuit, electrify,
   energize, galvanic circuit, galvanize, generate, hot circuit,
   lateral circuit, leg, live circuit, loop, loop in,
   magnetic circuit, microcircuit, multiple circuit, multiple series,
   path, plug in, printed circuit, series multiple, shock, short,
   step down, step up, stiffen, switch off, switch on, turn off,
   turn on, vector field