switch

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

switch, n. [Cf. OD. swick a scourage, a whip. Cf. Swink, Swing.].

•  A small, flexible twig or rod.  [1913 Webster]

  "Mauritania, on the fifth medal, leads a horse with something like a thread; in her other hand she holds a switch."  [1913 Webster]
•  A movable part of a rail; or of opposite rails, for transferring cars from one track to another.  [1913 Webster]
•  A separate mass or trees of hair, or of some substance (at jute) made to resemble hair, worn on the head by women.  [1913 Webster]
•  A device for shifting an electric current to another circuit, or for making and breaking a circuit.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Safety switch (Railways), a form of switch contrived to prevent or lessen the danger of derailment of trains. -- Switch back (Railways), an arrangement of tracks whereby elevations otherwise insurmountable are passed. The track ascends by a series of zigzags, the engine running alternately forward and back, until the summit is reached. -- Switch board (Elec.), a collection of switches in one piece of apparatus, so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected or combined in any desired manner.<-- need "switchboard" for telephony --> -- Switch grass. (Bot.) See under Grass.

switch, v. t. 

•  To strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]
•  To swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane.  [1913 Webster]
•  To trim, as, a hedge.  Halliwell.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  To shift to another circuit.  [1913 Webster]

switch, v. i. 

 To walk with a jerk.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

switch, n. & v.
--n.
1 a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit.
2 a a transfer, change-over, or deviation. b an exchange.
3 a slender flexible shoot cut from a tree.
4 a light tapering rod.
5 US a device at the junction of railway tracks for transferring a train from one track to another; = POINT n. 17.
6 a tress of false or detached hair tied at one end used in hairdressing.
--v.
1 tr. (foll. by on, off) turn (an electrical device) on or off.
2 intr. change or transfer position, subject, etc.
3 tr. change or transfer.
4 tr. reverse the positions of; exchange (switched chairs).
5 tr. swing or snatch (a thing) suddenly (switched it out of my hand).
6 tr. beat or flick with a switch.

Idiom

switch-blade a pocket knife with the blade released by a spring. switched-on colloq.
1 up to date; aware of what is going on.
2 excited; under the influence of drugs. switch off colloq. cease to pay attention. switch over change or exchange. switch-over n. a change or exchange.

Derivative

switcher n.

Etymology

earlier swits, switz, prob. f. LG

THESAURUS

switch

about-face, accommodation, action, adaptation, adjustment, agency, alchemy, alteration, alternate, amelioration, anagnorisis, angle, apostacize, apostasy, apostatize, appendage, architectonics, architecture, argument, arm, assign, assimilate to, assimilation, assumption, astonishment, atmosphere, avert, background, backscratching, bandy, barter, baste, bastinado, be quits with, bear off, beat, become, becoming, belabor, belt, betterment, bine, birch, blockbuster, blow, bolt, bomb, bombshell, bough, branch, branchedness, branchiness, break, break away, bring to, buffet, burgeon, buy and sell, cane, carry over, catastrophe, catch, change, change for, change into, change of heart, change over, change sides, change-over, changeableness, characterization, chignon, club, color, communicate, commutation, commute, compensate, complication, compound for, consign, constructive change, continuity, contrivance, conversion, convert, cooperate, counterchange, cowhide, cudgel, cut, deadwood, deal, defect, defection, deflection, degeneration, degenerative change, delegation, deliver, denouement, deport, deputation, deputyship, desert, design, deterioration, development, deviate, deviation, device, difference, diffuse, direct, discontinuity, displacement, disseminate, divergence, diversification, diversion, diversity, divert, do business, do over, draw aside, drub, dub in, earthshaker, ease off, edge off, episode, even trade, exchange, expel, export, extradite, eye-opener, fable, fall, fall away, fall off, falling action, false hair, ferule, fitting, flagellate, flagellum, flail, flip-flop, flog, fly off, fork, frond, fustigate, gee, get back at, get even with, gimmick, give a whipping, give and take, give in exchange, give place to, give the stick, glance, glance off, go off, go over, gradual change, growth, hand, hand forward, hand on, hand over, haw, head off, horse-trade, horsewhip, imp, impart, import, improvement, incident, interchange, jib, joint, joker, kicker, knout, lace, lapse, lash, lay on, leg, limb, line, link, lobe, lobule, local color, logroll, logrolling, make, make do with, make over, make way for, melioration, member, metastasize, metathesize, mitigation, modification, modulation, mood, motif, move aside, movement, mythos, naturalization, naturalize, offer in exchange, offshoot, organ, overthrow, paddle, pandybat, pass, pass on, pass over, pass the buck, passage, pay back, perfuse, peripeteia, permute, pinion, pistol-whip, plan, plot, pommel, pork barrel, power of attorney, progress, pummel, put up with, qualification, quid pro quo, radical change, ramage, ramification, rat, rattan, rawhide, re-creation, re-formation, realignment, reciprocate, recognition, reconversion, reconvert, redeem, redesign, redirect, reduce to, reduction, reform, reformation, relay, remaking, render, renewal, replacement, representation, requite, reshaping, resolution, resolve into, respond, restructuring, retaliate, return, return the compliment, revelation, reversal, reverse, revival, revivification, revolution, ring in, rising action, rod, ruler, runner, sarment, scheme, scion, scourge, secede, secondary plot, sheer off, shift, shocker, shoot, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle, slant, slip, smite, spank, spear, spray, spread, sprig, sprit, sprout, spur, staggerer, startler, steer clear of, step aside, stick, stolon, story, strap, strike, stripe, structure, subject, subplot, subrogation, substitute, substitution, sucker, sudden change, supersedence, superseding, supersedure, supersession, supplantation, supplanting, supplantment, surprisal, surprise, surprise ending, surprise package, surprise party, swap, swap horses, swapping, swinge, switch over, switch-over, tail, take in exchange, tendril, thallus, thematic development, theme, thrash, thump, thunderbolt, thunderclap, tit for tat, tone, topic, total change, trade, trade in, trade off, trade sight unseen, trading, traffic, transfer, transfer property, transform, transformation, transfuse, transit, transition, translate, translocate, transmit, transplace, transplant, transpose, trounce, truck, truncheon, turn, turn aside, turn away, turn back, turn cloak, turn into, turn over, turnabout, turning into, twig, twist, twitch, upheaval, variation, variety, veer off, vicariousness, violent change, volte-face, wag, waggle, wallop, wave, whale, whip, whop, wing, worsening

ROGET THESAURUS

switch

Punishment

VB punish, chastise, chasten, castigate, correct, inflict punishment, administer correction, deal retributive justice, cowhide, lambaste, visit upon, pay, pay out, serve out, do for, make short work of, give a lesson to, serve one right, make an example of, have a rod in pickle for, give it one, strike, deal a blow to, administer the lash, smite, slap, slap the face, smack, cuff, box the ears, spank, thwack, thump, beat, lay on, swinge, buffet, thresh, thrash, pummel, drub, leather, trounce, sandbag, baste, belabor, lace, lace one's jacket, dress, dress down, give a dressing, trim, warm, wipe, tund, cob, bang, strap, comb, lash, lick, larrup, wallop, whop, flog, scourge, whip, birch, cane, give the stick, switch, flagellate, horsewhip, bastinado, towel, rub down with an oaken towel, rib roast, dust one's jacket, fustigate, pitch into, lay about one, beat black and blue, beat to a mummy, beat to a jelly, give a black eye, tar and feather, pelt, stone, lapidate, masthead, keelhaul, execute, bring to the block, bring to the gallows, behead, decapitate, guillotine, decollate, hang, turn off, gibbet, bowstring, hang draw and quarter, shoot, decimate, burn, break on the wheel, crucify, empale, impale, flay, lynch, electrocute, gas, send to the gas chamber, torture, put on, put to the rack, picket, banish, exile, transport, expel, ostracize, rusticate, drum out, dismiss, disbar, disbench, strike off the roll, unfrock, post, suffer, suffer for, suffer punishment, be flogged, be executed, suffer the ultimate penalty, be hanged, come to the gallows, mount the gallows, swing, twist in the wind, dance upon nothing, die in one's shoes, be rightly served, be electrocuted, fry, ride the lightning, face the firing squad.

Scourge

N scourge, rod, cane, stick, ratan, rattan, birch, birch rod, azote, blacksnake, bullwhack, chicote, kurbash, quirt, rawhide, sjambok, rod in pickle, switch, ferule, cudgel, truncheon, whip, bullwhip, lash, strap, thong, cowhide, knout, cat, cat o'nine tails, rope's end, pillory, stocks, whipping post, cucking stool, ducking stool, brank, trebuchet, trebuket, triangle, wooden horse, iron maiden, thumbscrew, boot, rack, wheel, iron heel, chinese water torture, treadmill, crank, galleys, scaffold, block, ax, guillotine, stake, cross, gallows, gibbet, tree, drop, noose, rope, halter, bowstring, death chair, electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection, firing squad, mecate, house of correction, goaler, jailer, executioner, electrocutioner, lyncher, hangman, headsman, Jack Ketch.