switch

¹switch

noun \ˈswich\

Definition of SWITCH

1

: a slender flexible whip, rod, or twig <a riding switch>

2

: an act of switching: as

a : a blow with a switch

b : a shift from one to another

c : a change from the usual <that outfit is a switch>

3

: a tuft of long hairs at the end of the tail of an animal (as a cow) — see cow illustration

4

: a device made usually of two movable rails and necessary connections and designed to turn a locomotive or train from one track to another

5

: a device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electrical circuit

6

: a heavy strand of hair used in addition to a person's own hair for some coiffures

Examples of SWITCH

1. She flicked a switch and turned the lamp on.
2. He threw the switch to stop the machine.

Origin of SWITCH

perhaps from Middle Dutch swijch twig

First Known Use: 1592

Related to SWITCH

Synonyms

flogger, lash, scourge, whip

Related Words

birch, blacksnake, bullwhip, cat-o'-nine-tails, cowhide, crop, hickory, knout, quirt, rattan, rawhide, strap; bastinado (or bastinade), bat, baton, billy, billy club, bludgeon, cane, club, cudgel, flail, nightstick, staff

Rhymes with SWITCH

bitch, ditch, fitch, flitch, glitch, hitch, itch, kitsch, niche, pitch, quitch, rich, snitch, stitch, such, twitch, which, witch

²switch

verb

Definition of SWITCH

transitive verb

1

: to strike or beat with or as if with a switch

2

: whisk, lash <a cat switching its tail>

3

a (1) : to turn from one railroad track to another : shunt (2) : to move (cars) to different positions on the same track within terminal areas

b : to make a shift in or exchange of <switch seats>

4

a : to shift to another electrical circuit by means of a switch

b (1) : to operate an electrical switch so as to turn (as a device) on or off —usually used with on or off (2) : to change to or from an active state —usually used with on or off <switched on the gene>

intransitive verb

1

: to lash from side to side

2

: to make a shift or exchange

— switch·able \ˈswi-chə-bəl\ adjective

— switch·er noun

Examples of SWITCH

1. I switched to a new doctor.
2. He kept switching back and forth between topics.
3. She switched back to her original insurance company.
4. We switched over to a different telephone service.
5. Why did you switch jobs?

First Known Use of SWITCH

circa 1611

Related to SWITCH

Synonyms

commute, exchange, shift, substitute, swap, change, trade

Related Words

interchange; displace, replace, supersede; cede, hand over, surrender, yield; reciprocate

Near Antonyms

maintain, support, uphold