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Word of the Day 25 August 2026

make-before-break

Of a switch or other electronic device, that creates a new electrical connection before an older one is broken.

Why this one

Connects the new contact before releasing the old. In inductive circuits the sequence matters more than the connection.

In use

That tap changer is make-before-break, so the winding never sees an open circuit while it's shifting taps.

Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.

Sources

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