fuses
n. countablen. small safety parts in electrical devices that break the circuit if the power becomes too strong. They protect your electronics from catching fire or breaking during a power surge.
n. safety devices consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level. Often used metaphorically in the phrase 'to blow a fuse', meaning to lose one's temper.
The lights went out because one of the fuses blew.
You should check the fuses in the basement before calling an electrician to fix the power outage.
Modern circuit breakers have largely replaced traditional fuses in residential wiring, as they can be reset manually rather than requiring a physical replacement after a surge occurs.
Commonly used with the verb 'blow' to describe the device failing due to an electrical overload.