fuse

A fuse is a thin, fragile wire that carries electricity from one place to another. It's often used to protect against overloads and short circuits.

When you buy an electrical device like a lamp or a hair dryer, it usually comes with some cables and wires attached. One of these might be a fuse - a little piece of wire wrapped around the end of a cable. If too much electricity flows through this wire, the fuse can "blow" (or break), which stops the flow of electricity and prevents damage to the device or even starting a fire. People often replace blown fuses with new ones.