switch

noun
swĭch

A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow.

Other meanings

A change or exchange.
A long, slender woody plant stem or a flexible, thin rod used as a whip to administer corporal punishment in the United States.

Kinds of switch

birch
cane
rattan

Related words

asleep at the switch
big red switch
bitch switch
Glock switch
switch box
antenna switch
arrow switch
bait and switch
bait-and-switch
big switch
blab-off switch
chicken switch

Example sentences

“You have no reason not to switch.”
Tatoeba · ddnktr · CC0
“We're the ones who need to switch lanes.”
Tatoeba · shekitten · CC0
“Don't touch that switch!”
Tatoeba · Igider · CC0

Word history

From Middle Dutch "swijch" (twig).

Where this comes from

This definition is adapted from “switch” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; example sentences are from Tatoeba, credited to their authors above; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.