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 of switch flogger, lash, scourge, whipWords Related to switch 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 of switch swish, wag, waggle, whiskWords Related to switch 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 of switch 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)Words Related to switch 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 of switch commute, exchange, shift, substitute, swap, change, tradeWords Related to switch 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 of switch swish, wag, waggleWords Related to switch 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 of switch birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, whip, tan, thrash, whaleWords Related to switch 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 of switch reverseWords Related to switch abrogate, annul, overturn, repeal, rescind, revoke, strike down; about-face, backtrack, countermand, revertNear Antonyms of switch maintain, support, uphold

5 to strike repeatedly a prank for which the youngsters were soundly switched Synonyms of switch 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 overWords Related to switch 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