Definitions of switch [ɪtʃ]

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Definition of 'switch'

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

1. (n.) switch
a turning, shifting, or changing.

2.  switch
a device for turning on or off or directing an electric current or for making or breaking a circuit.

3.  switch
a track structure for diverting moving trains or rolling stock from one track to another.

4.  switch
a slender, flexible shoot, rod, etc., used esp. in whipping or disciplining.

5.  switch
the act of whipping or beating with or as if with such an object; a stroke, lash, or whisking movement.

6.  switch
a bunch or tress of long hair or some substitute, worn by women to supplement their own hair.

7.  switch
a tuft of hair at the end of the tail of some animals.

8. (v.t.) switch
to change or exchange.

9.  switch
to turn, shift, or divert:
to switch the subject.

10.  switch
to connect, disconnect, or redirect (an electric circuit or the device it serves) by operating a switch (often fol. by off or on).

11.  switch
to whip or beat with a switch or the like.

12.  switch
to move, swing, or whisk (a cane, a fishing line, etc.) with a swift, lashing stroke.

13.  switch
to move or transfer (a train, car, etc.) from one set of tracks to another.

14.  switch
to drop or add (cars) or to make up (a train).

15. (v.i.) switch
to strike with or as if with a switch.

16.  switch
to change, as direction or course; turn or shift:
to switch to another road.

17.  switch
to exchange or replace something with another.

18.  switch
to move back and forth briskly, as a cat's tail.

19.  switch
to be shifted, turned, etc., by means of a switch.

Etymology: (1585–95; orig. uncert.)

Definition of 'switch'

Princeton's WordNet

1. (noun) switch, electric switch, electrical switch
control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or electronic device for making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit

2. (noun) substitution, permutation, transposition, replacement, switch
an event in which one thing is substituted for another
"the replacement of lost blood by a transfusion of donor blood"

3. (noun) switch
hairpiece consisting of a tress of false hair; used by women to give shape to a coiffure

4. (noun) switch
railroad track having two movable rails and necessary connections; used to turn a train from one track to another or to store rolling stock

5. (noun) switch
a flexible implement used as an instrument of punishment

6. (noun) switch
a basketball maneuver; two defensive players shift assignments so that each guards the player usually guarded by the other

7. (verb) switch, switching, shift
the act of changing one thing or position for another
"his switch on abortion cost him the election"

8. (verb) switch over, switch, exchange
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence

9. (verb) trade, swap, swop, switch
exchange or give (something) in exchange for

10. (verb) switch, shift, change
lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
"switch to a different brand of beer"; "She switched psychiatrists"; "The car changed lanes"

11. (verb) switch, change over, shift
make a shift in or exchange of
"First Joe led; then we switched"

12. (verb) throw, flip, switch
cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation
"switch on the light"; "throw the lever"

13. (verb) switch
flog with or as if with a flexible rod

14. (verb) interchange, tack, switch, alternate, flip, flip-flop
reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)

Definition of 'switch'

Kernerman English Learner’s Dictionary

1. (verb) switch
to change from one thing to another
She switched easily between the two languages.; I switched from my old browser to a better one.

2.  switch
to exchange one thing for another
He switched clothes to avoid being identified.; The photographer asked me and my brother to switch places.

3.  switch
switch places (with)
to exchange work times with sb else
Can you switch shifts with me on Saturday?; I can switch with Carrie.

4. (noun) switch
a device that you press or move to turn sth on or off
a light switch

5.  switch
flip/flick a switch
to press or move a switch
He flipped the switch and the room lit up.

6.  switch
the act of changing from one thing to another
We recently made the switch from heating with oil to gas.

Definition of 'switch'

Webster Dictionary

1. (noun) switch
a small, flexible twig or rod

2. (noun) switch
a movable part of a rail; or of opposite rails, for transferring cars from one track to another

3. (noun) switch
a separate mass or trees of hair, or of some substance (at jute) made to resemble hair, worn on the head by women

4. (noun) switch
a mechanical device for shifting an electric current to another circuit

5. (verb) switch
to strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip

6. (verb) switch
to swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane

7. (verb) switch
to trim, as, a hedge

8. (verb) switch
to turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; -- generally with off, from, etc.; as, to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another

9. (verb) switch
to shift to another circuit

10. (verb) switch
to walk with a jerk

Definition of 'switch'

The Standard Electrical Dictionary

1. switch
A device for opening and closing an electric circuit.

A simple type is the ordinary telegrapher's switch. A bar of metal is mounted horizontally by a pivot at one end, so as to be free to rotate through an arc of a circle. In one position its free end rests upon a stud of metal. One terminal of a circuit is attached to its journal, the other to the stud. Resting on the stud it closes the circuit, in other positions it opens the circuit.

Translation of 'switch'

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense: a small lever, handle or other device eg for putting or turning an electric current on or off The switch is down when the power is on and up when it's off; He couldn't find the light-switch.
Afrikaans: skakelaar	Arabic: مِفْتاح التَّدوير أو التّ	Bulgarian: ел. ключ
Brazilian: interruptor	Czech: vypínač, spínač	German: der Schalter
Danish: kontakt; -kontakt	Greek: διακόπτης	Spanish: interruptor, conmutador
Estonian: lüliti	Farsi: كليد برق	Finnish: katkaisija
French: interrupteur, commutateur	Hebrew: מֶתֶג	Hindi: खटका-बटन
Croatian: prekidač, skretnica	Hungarian: (villany)kapcsoló	Indonesian: tombol
Icelandic: rofi	Italian: interruttore	Japanese: スイッチ
Korean: 스위치	Lithuanian: jungiklis	Latvian: slēdzis
Malay: suis	Dutch: schakelaar	Norwegian: (strøm)bryter
Polish: przełącznik	Persian: كليد برق	Pashto: د برق سوچ، د برق کلید
Portuguese: interruptor	Romanian: întrerupător, comutator	Russian: переключатель; выключател
Slovak: vypínať, spínať	Slovenian: stikalo	Serbian: prekidač
Swedish: strömbrytare	Thai: สวิตช์; เครื่องปิด/เปิดไฟ	Turkish: elektrik düğmesi, şalter
Taiwanese: 開關	Ukrainian: вимикач; розподільний щит	Urdu: بجلی کی فراہمی کو کنٹرول
Vietnamese: công tắc	Chinese: 开关
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