switch

Meaning

Noun

1. A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow.
2. A change or exchange.
3. (Philippines, US) A movable section of railroad track which allows the train to be directed down one of two destination tracks; (set of) points.
4. A slender woody plant stem used as a whip; a thin, flexible rod, associated with corporal punishment in the United States.
5. Synonym of rute.
6. A command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior.
7. A programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression.
8. A networking device connecting multiple wires, allowing them to communicate simultaneously, when possible. Compare to the less efficient hub device that solely duplicates network packets to each wire.
9. A system of specialized relays, computer hardware, or other equipment which allows the interconnection of a calling party's telephone line with any called party's line.
10. A mechanism within DNA that activates or deactivates a gene.
11. (especially) One who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship.
12. (historical) A separate mass or tress of hair, or of some substance (such as jute) made to resemble hair, formerly worn on the head by women.
13. A variant of crazy eights where one card, such as an ace, reverses the direction of play.
14. (slang) Synonym of Glock switch.
15. (metonymically, slang) Synonym of Glock switch.
16. A play in which the ball (or equivalent) is moved from one side of the playing area to the other.
17. The process of the currently fronting headmate changing; an instance of this.

Verb

1. (transitive) To exchange.
2. (transitive) To change (something) to the specified state using a switch.
3. (transitive) To whip or hit with a switch.
4. (intransitive) To change places, tasks, etc.
5. (intransitive, slang) To get angry suddenly; to quickly or unreasonably become enraged.
6. To swing or whisk.
7. To be swung or whisked.
8. To trim.
9. To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; generally with off, from, etc.
10. To shift to another circuit.
11. (intransitive) To take on the opposite role (leader vs. follower) in a partner dance.
12. (transitive) To move (the ball or equivalent) from one side of the playing area to the other.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Pertaining to riding with the front and back feet swapped round compared to one's normal position.
2. (not-comparable) Pertaining to skiing backwards.

Synonyms

change

shift

whip

exchange

twig

swap

transfer

rod

interchange

move

cane

substitute

conversion

trade

alternate

alter

point

change over

button

replace

transition

wand

convert

switching

commute

substitution

birch

flip

stick

shunt

scourge

false hair

permutation

modify

knob

lash

transference

switch over

swop

swish

toggle

quirt

flagellate

barter

strap

rotate

alteration

attach

replacement

relocate

Translations

interrupteur

interruttore

Schalter

changer

interruptor

Weiche

échanger

commutateur

conmutador

trocar

interruptor

interruptor

schakelaar

cambiar

spitsroede

Pronounced as (IPA)

/swɪt͡ʃ/

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.

Sentences

It is generally less error-prone than using the built-in " switch to " command .