different between hairpin vs switchback

English

Alternative forms

• hair pin, hair-pin

Etymology

From hair +? pin, 1788 (as hair pin). Adjective sense 1906 in hairpin turn etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?he??p?n/

Noun

hairpin (plural hairpins)

1. A pin or fastener for the hair.
2. (biology) A kind of ribozyme; hairpin ribozyme.
3. (chiefly attributive) A very tight bend in a road.
   • 2009, Bob Sehlinger, Grant Rafter, Beyond Disney (page 280)

     The variety of angles in the course, from slow bends to hairpins, will both test your skill as a driver and allow you the opportunity to pass other carts.

4. (music) An elongated v-shaped sign placed underneath a staff to indicate a crescendo

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• barrette
• dogleg
• switchback

References

English

Etymology

switch +? back, originally used to describe zigzag railways.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sw?t??bæk/

Noun

switchback (plural switchbacks)

1. A zigzag path, road or railway track; especially a railway track in which the train travels in a reverse direction at each switch [from 1860s]
2. A hairpin bend.
3. (dated, Britain) A roller coaster.
4. (Britain) A route with alternate sharp ascents and descents.

Derived terms

• switchbacky

Translations

Verb

switchback (third-person singular simple present switchbacks, present participle switchbacking, simple past and past participle switchbacked)

1. (of a path etc) To zigzag.

   Synonym: zigzag

See also

• dogleg
• hairpin

Further reading

• switchback on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “switchback”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.