Short for electrical engineer

Answer 1

Short is short (no pun intended) for short circuit, which is a condition where unexpected current flows, often of much higher current than usual, because the load is often bypassed. Short circuit current flow can be as high as several hundred or several thousand amperes.

Some people make the mistake of saying "there is a short" when they actually mean "there is an open". This comes from an intermittent connection that causes the load to not function. If there were a true short, there would be a big spark, possible fire, and the fuse or circuit breaker would blow.