kill switch

[/kɪl swɪtʃ/]
nounpl: kill switches
interruptor de segurança / botão de parada de emergência
1. A safety switch designed to shut down a machine or system immediately in case of emergency or danger
The factory has kill switches installed at every workstation for worker safety.
A fábrica tem interruptores de segurança instalados em cada estação de trabalho para a segurança do trabalhador.
2. A mechanism or procedure that can terminate a process, program, or operation instantly
The software developer included a kill switch to stop the application if it detects a virus.
O desenvolvedor de software incluiu um botão de parada de emergência para interromper a aplicação se detectar um vírus.
3. A decisive action or decision that abruptly ends something
His controversial statement was the kill switch for his political career.
Sua declaração controversa foi o ponto final para sua carreira política.
The term 'kill switch' is widely recognized in American industrial safety culture and technology sectors. In Brazil, it's primarily used in manufacturing, aerospace, and software development contexts. The literal translation 'interruptor de segurança' is more formal and preferred in official safety documentation, while 'botão de parada de emergência' is used more colloquially. In tech communities, the English term is often used directly even in Portuguese-speaking contexts.
NYC Slang
panic button / e-stop (in technical communities)
Synonyms / Sinônimos
emergency stoppanic buttoncutoff switchsafety switchcircuit breaker
Antonyms / Antônimos
power buttonactivation switchstartup mechanism

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
interruptor de segurança / botão de parada de emergência
Standard term used across Brazil, especially in industrial and technical contexts
São Paulo
chave de emergência
Alternative term used in São Paulo, particularly in manufacturing sectors
Rio de Janeiro
botão de parada
Colloquial usage, more common in casual contexts
Portugal
interruptor de corte / botão de paragem de emergência
Portuguese European equivalent, uses 'paragem' instead of 'parada'

Related Words

emergency shutdownfailsafepower outagecircuit breakeremergency proceduresafety mechanism

Related Idioms & Phrases

hit the kill switch
activate the kill switch
pull the plug
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