Opens and Shorts
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2013 Acura MDX, 2012 Acura MDX, 2011 Acura MDX, and 2010 Acura MDX. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Open and short are common electrical terms. An open is a break in a wire or at a connection. A short is an accidental connection of a wire to ground or to another wire. In simple terms, this usually means something won't work at all. With complex electronics (such as PCMs) this can sometimes mean something works, but not the way it's supposed to.