Word
switch
US/ˈswɪtʃ/
UK/swˈɪtʃ/
Definitions
01electrical device
n. a small button or lever that you move to turn a light or machine on or off.
n. a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit.
“He flipped the light switch as soon as he walked into the dark room.”
“The technician replaced the faulty wall switch to ensure the overhead lighting operated reliably during the presentation.”
02a change or swap
n. a change from one thing to another, or an exchange of positions.
n. an act of changing or swapping one thing for another, often involving a complete substitution.
“The sudden switch in the weather caught the hikers without their rain coats.”
“The company's strategic switch from hardware to software services proved to be a turning point for its annual revenue.”
Antonyms
03computing/networking
n. a device that connects computers in a network; also a command in programming.
n. a high-speed networking device that forwards data only to the specific destination port; also a programming construct for multi-way branching.
“We need a new network switch to connect all the office computers to the internet.”
“The developer implemented a switch statement to handle the various user input cases more efficiently than a long chain of conditional blocks.”
Technical
04railway track
n. a section of tracks that can move to send a train onto a different line.
n. a mechanism consisting of a pair of linked tapering rails that allows trains to be guided from one track to another.
“The train slowed down as it passed over the switch to enter the station.”
“The signalman manually operated the switch to divert the freight train onto the siding, allowing the express service to pass.”
American English
Synonyms
05to swap or change
v. to change from one thing to another, or to trade places with someone.
v. to change or substitute one item, person, or state for another. Often used with 'over' or 'to'.
“Can we switch seats so I can sit next to the window?”
“Many consumers decided to switch to renewable energy providers following the recent increase in fossil fuel prices.”
06to operate a control
v. to turn something on or off using a button or lever.
v. to change the state of an appliance or circuit by operating a switch. Usually followed by 'on' or 'off'.
“Remember to switch off the computer before you leave the office.”
“The automated system is programmed to switch on the external security lights at dusk and deactivate them at dawn.”
07backwards stance
adj. riding a board or skis in the opposite direction of your normal style.
adj. referring to a stance or movement performed in the opposite direction to one's natural orientation.
“The snowboarder landed a switch trick perfectly during the competition.”
“Mastering the switch landing is essential for professional freestyle skiers who wish to compete at the highest international levels.”
Technical
Real-World Examples
“He now offers you chance to switch your choice to the other door.” “DNA becomes incorrectly folded, and important genes involved in heart development may fail to switch on when they are needed.” “These problems may cause delays while election workers troubleshoot or switch to more manual methods of counting votes, but they are unlikely to result in fraud.” “Between them was a tunable coupler that could be switched on or off.” Etymology
Perhaps from Middle Dutch swijch (“twig”), first attested in c. 1592. The mechanical device for altering the direction of something sense is first attested in c. 1797, pertaining to pivoted rails on minecart railways, which were once wooden.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Related words
Idioms
asleep at the switch — Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.
sleeping at the switch — Alternative form of asleep at the switch.
switch off — To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.
switch on — To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/switch