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switch ◆◇◇ /sw I tʃ/ (switches , switching , switched )

1 N‑COUNT A switch is a small control for an electrical device which you use to turn the device on or off. □  Leona put some detergent into the dishwasher, shut the door and pressed the switch. □  …a light switch.

2 VERB If you switch to something different, for example to a different system, task, or subject of conversation, you change to it from what you were doing or saying before. □ [V + to ] Estonia is switching to a market economy. □ [V from n to n] The law would encourage companies to switch from coal to cleaner fuels. □ [V n] The encouragement of a friend spurred Chris into switching jobs. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Switch is also a noun. □  New technology made a switch to oil possible. □  The spokesman implicitly condemned the government's policy switch. ● PHRASAL VERB Switch over means the same as switch . □ [V P + to ] …a professional man who started out in law but switched over to medicine. [Also V P ]

3 VERB If you switch your attention from one thing to another or if your attention switches , you stop paying attention to the first thing and start paying attention to the second. □ [V + to ] My mother's interest had switched to my health. □ [V n + to ] As the era wore on, she switched her attention to films.

4 VERB If you switch two things, you replace one with the other. □ [V n] In half an hour, they'd switched the tags on every cable. □ [be V -ed] The ballot boxes have been switched.

▸  switch off

1 PHRASAL VERB If you switch off a light or other electrical device, you stop it working by operating a switch. □ [V P n] She switched off the coffee-machine. □ [V n P ] Glass parked the car and switched the engine off. [Also V P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If you switch off , you stop paying attention or stop thinking or worrying about something. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] You may find you've got so many things to think about that it's difficult to switch off.

▸  switch on PHRASAL VERB If you switch on a light or other electrical device, you make it start working by operating a switch. □ [V P n] She emptied both their mugs and switched on the electric kettle. □ [V n P ] He pointed the light at his feet and tried to switch it on. [Also V P ]

▸  switch over

1 PHRASAL VERB If you switch over when you are watching television, you change to another channel. □ [V P ] I just happened to switch over although I haven't been watching the tennis. □ [V P + to ] Let's switch over to Channel 4.

2 → see switch 2 SYNONYMS switch VERB 4

exchange:We exchanged addresses and Christmas cards.

trade:Kids used to trade baseball cards.

swap:Next week they will swap places and will repeat the switch weekly.

switch|back /sw I tʃbæk/ (switchbacks )

1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A switchback is a road which rises and falls sharply many times, or a sharp rise and fall in a road. [BRIT ] □  …a dizzy bus ride over a switchback road.

2 N‑COUNT A switchback is a road which goes up a steep hill in a series of sharp bends, or a sharp bend in a road. [AM ]

switch|blade /sw I tʃble I d/ (switchblades ) N‑COUNT A switchblade is a knife with a blade that is hidden in the handle and that springs out when a button is pressed. [AM ] in BRIT, use flick-knife