by
pass
Plural
bypasses
1
a highway or route built to divert traffic around a town or city center
A bypass is a road or route built to help vehicles avoid traveling through the center of a town or city. It is usually designed to keep traffic moving more quickly and reduce congestion in busy areas. Bypasses are often built around towns or cities to direct traffic along a path that avoids crowded streets or intersections, making travel faster for drivers who do not need to stop in the city. They are especially helpful for long-distance drivers or those passing through a town without needing to enter it.
- The new bypass reduced congestion in the downtown area.
- Trucks are required to take the bypass instead of driving through the city.
- The bypass connects the northern and southern exits of the highway.
- Construction of the bypass took nearly three years.
- Locals prefer the old road, even though the bypass is faster.
2
a low-resistance conductor connected in parallel with another device to divert part of the current
- The technician installed a bypass to protect the circuit from overload.
- A resistor bypass helps stabilize the voltage in sensitive components.
- The bypass allows current to flow even if the main path fails.
- Engineers used a capacitor bypass to reduce electrical noise.
- The power supply included a built-in bypass for redundancy.
Synonyms:
3
a surgically created channel that diverts blood or another body fluid around an obstructed or damaged area
A bypass refers to a surgical procedure used to create a new path for blood flow when arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-filled blood from the heart throughout the body, become blocked or narrowed because of conditions like coronary artery disease. During this procedure, a healthy blood vessel is typically taken from another part of the body, such as the leg, and attached to redirect blood around the blocked artery, restoring enough blood supply to the heart muscle. Bypass surgery is often performed to relieve chest pain or to reduce the risk of heart attack in individuals with serious coronary artery disease. It can improve blood flow and overall heart function, helping patients manage heart-related symptoms and improve their quality of life.
- The patient underwent a heart bypass to restore normal blood flow.
- A gastric bypass is sometimes performed to treat severe obesity.
- The surgeon created a bypass around the blocked artery.
- A vascular bypass can save limbs affected by poor circulation.
- The liver bypass allowed toxins to be filtered more efficiently.