different between switch vs alternative

English

Etymology

Perhaps from Middle Dutch swijch (“twig”). First known use in c. 1592.

Pronunciation

• enPR: sw?ch, IPA^(key): /sw?t?/
• Rhymes: -?t?

Noun

switch (plural switches)

1. A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow.
2. A change or exchange.
3. (rail transport, 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.
   • 2007, Jeffrey W. Hamilton, Raising Godly Children in a Wicked World, Lulu.com, page 15:

     "A proper switch is a slim, flexible branch off a tree or a bush. A switch applied to the buttocks stings fiercely. It may leave red marks or bruises, but it causes no lasting damage.."

5. (music) Synonym of rute.
6. (computer science) A command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior.

   Use the /b switch to specify black-and-white printing.

7. (computing, programming) A programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression.
   • 2004, "Curt", Can I use IF statements, and still use switches? (on newsgroup microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields)
8. (computing, networking) 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. (telecommunications) 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. (genetics) A mechanism within DNA that activates or deactivates a gene.
11. (BDSM) One who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship.
    • 2012, Terri-Jean Bedford, Bondage Bungalow Fantasies (page 99)

      Ideally, if one of your ladies happens to be a switch (or would be willing to switch for this scene), I would love to be able to inflict a little "revenge tickling" as well, as part of a scenario.

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.

Synonyms

• (section of railroad track): (UK) points
• (whip): crop
• (command-line notation): flag, option, specifier

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

switch (third-person singular simple present switches, present participle switching, simple past and past participle switched)

1. (transitive) To exchange.

2. (transitive) To change (something) to the specified state using a switch.

3. (transitive, in modern times Southern US) To whip or hit with a switch.
4. (intransitive) To change places, tasks, etc.

5. (slang, intransitive) To get angry suddenly; to quickly or unreasonably become enraged.
6. To swing or whisk.

   to switch a cane

7. To be swung or whisked.

   The angry cat's tail switched back and forth.

8. To trim.

   to switch a hedge

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

9. To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; generally with off, from, etc.

   to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another

10. (ecclesiastical) To shift to another circuit.

Synonyms

• (to exchange): interchange, swap; See also Thesaurus:switch

Translations

Adjective

switch (not comparable)

1. (snowboarding) Pertaining to riding with the front and back feet swapped round compared to one's normal position.
2. (freestyle skiing) Pertaining to skiing backwards.

Coordinate terms

(snowboarding):

• goofy
• regular

Translations

See also

• switch off
• switch on

References

Further reading

• switch on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• switch (corporal punishment) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Finnish

Noun

switch

1. (BDSM) switch

Declension

French

Etymology

English switch

Adjective

switch

1. (skiing, snowboarding) switch.

Portuguese

Etymology

From English switch.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /?swit??/

Noun

switch m (plural switches or switch)

1. (networking) switch (device connecting multiple wires, allowing them to communicate simultaneously)
2. (computing) switch (command line notation allowing specification of optional behaviour)
3. (programming) switch (construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression)

English

Etymology

From Middle French alternatif, from Medieval Latin altern?t?vus (“alternating”), from the participle stem of Latin altern? (“interchange, alternate”). Compare alternate.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?l.?t??(?).n?.t?v/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?l.?t?.n?.t?v/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /?l.?t?.n?.t?v/

Adjective

alternative (not comparable)

1. Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities.
   1. (linguistics) Presenting two or more alternatives.

      Synonym: disjunctive

2. Other; different from something else.
3. Not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground.

   alternative medicine; alternative lifestyle; alternative rock

4. (obsolete) Alternate, reciprocal.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

alternative (plural alternatives)

1. A situation which allows a mutually exclusive choice between two or more possibilities; a choice between two or more possibilities. [from 17th c.]
   • 1817, Walter Scott, Rob Roy, XI:

     ‘The cloister or a betrothed husband?’ I echoed—‘Is that the alternative destined for Miss Vernon?’

2. One of several mutually exclusive things which can be chosen. [from 17th c.]
   • 1803, Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison^[1]:

     Between these alternatives there is no middle ground. The Constitution is either a superior, paramount law, unchangeable by ordinary means, or it is on a level with ordinary legislative acts, and, like other acts, is alterable when the legislature shall please to alter it.

3. The remaining option; something available after other possibilities have been exhausted. [from 18th c.]
4. (uncountable, music) alternative rock

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:option

Translations

See also

• variant

References

• alternative in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• alternative in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alterna?tive/
• Rhymes: -ive

Adverb

alternative

1. alternatively

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /al.t??.na.tiv/
• Homophone: alternatives

Adjective

alternative

1. feminine singular of alternatif

Noun

alternative f (plural alternatives)

1. alternative

Further reading

• “alternative” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

alternative

1. inflection of alternativ:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ive

Adjective

alternative

1. feminine plural of alternativo

Noun

alternative f

1. plural of alternativa

Anagrams

• alternatevi

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /al.ter.na??ti?.u?e/, [ä??t??rnä??t?i?u??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /al.ter.na?ti.ve/, [?l?t??rn??t?i?v?]

Adjective

altern?t?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of altern?t?vus

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

alternative

1. inflection of alternativ:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

alternative

1. inflection of alternativ:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

Swedish

Adjective

alternative

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of alternativ.