switch

1 a long thin or flexible tool for striking struck the horse's hide with a leather switch, and it took off at a gallop Synonyms flogger, lash, scourge, whipRelated 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

2 a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down that telltale switch of the cat's tail meant there was a mouse under the piano Synonyms swish, wag, waggle, whiskRelated Words oscillation, rock, sway, swing, waver; flap, flutter, wave, whip; flick, jerk, jolt, snap, twitch; jiggle, shake, wiggle; bob, nod

3 a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument in frustration, he gave the mule a sharp switch on the rump, but it still wouldn't budge Synonyms bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse [British], fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup [dialect], lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, blow, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap)Related Words counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke; body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut; cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO; bastinado (or bastinade), battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing; flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

1 to give up (something) and take something else in return switched the real grapes for fake ones switched the day of his flight from Thursday to Friday Synonyms commute, exchange, shift, substitute, swap, change, tradeRelated Words interchange; displace, replace, supersede; cede, hand over, surrender, yield; reciprocate

2 to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud Synonyms swish, wag, waggleRelated Words oscillate, rock, sway, swing, waver; beat, flail, flap, flop, lash, whip; flick, flicker, flutter, wave; jerk, jolt; jig, jiggle, joggle, shake, twitch, wiggle; bob, jog, nod

3 to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible a stern schoolmaster who would switch any boy who misbehaved Synonyms birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, whip, tan, thrash, whaleRelated Words knout, quirt, strap; cut; flick, touch up; blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate; pistol-whip; bang, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clout, crack, cuff, hit, knock, lam, paste, punch, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack; bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, bludgeon, buffet, bung, drub, fib [British], hammer, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lather, lick, mangle, maul, paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, rough, slate, slog, thresh, thump, tromp, whop (or whap), whup, work over

4 to change (as an opinion) to the contrary a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues Synonyms reverseRelated Words abrogate, annul, overturn, repeal, rescind, revoke, strike down; about-face, backtrack, countermand, revertNear Antonyms maintain, support, uphold

5 to strike repeatedly a prank for which the youngsters were soundly switched Synonyms bash, baste, bat, batter, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib [British], flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lash, lather, lick, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slate, slog, beat, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop (or whap), whup, work overRelated Words assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp; blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap; gore, lacerate, wound; maim, mangle, mutilate