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Switch
In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can “make” or “break” an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another.
The mechanism of a switch removes or restores the conducting path in a circuit when it is operated. It may be operated manually, for example, a light switch or a keyboard button, may be operated by a moving object such as a door, or may be operated by some sensing element for pressure, temperature or flow. A switch will have one or more sets of contacts, which may operate simultaneously, sequentially, or alternately. Switches in high-powered circuits must operate rapidly to prevent destructive arcing, and may include special features to assist in rapidly interrupting a heavy current. Multiple forms of actuators are used for operation by hand or to sense position, level, temperature or flow. Special types are used, for example, for control of machinery, to reverse electric motors, or to sense liquid level. Many specialized forms exist. A common use is control of lighting, where multiple switches may be wired into one circuit to allow convenient control of light fixtures.
By analogy with the devices that select one or more possible paths for electric currents, devices that route information in a computer network are also called “switches” – these are usually more complicated than simple electromechanical toggles or pushbutton devices, and operate without direct human interaction.
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Switch (noun)
A on and off or direct its flow.
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Switch (noun)
A change.
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Switch (noun)
A movable section of railroad track which allows the train to be directed down one of two destination tracks; point.
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Switch (noun)
A slender woody plant stem used as a whip; a thin, flexible rod, associated with corporal punishment in the United States.
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Switch (noun)
A command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior.
“Use the /b switch to specify black-and-white printing.”
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Switch (noun)
A programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression.
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Switch (noun)
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.
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Switch (noun)
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.
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Switch (noun)
One who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship.
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Switch (verb)
To exchange.
“I want to switch this red dress for a green one.”
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Switch (verb)
To change (something) to the specified state using a switch.
“Switch the light on.”
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Switch (verb)
To whip or hit with a switch.
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Switch (verb)
To change places, tasks, etc.
“I want to switch to a different seat.”
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Switch (verb)
To get angry suddenly; to quickly or unreasonably become enraged.
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Switch (verb)
To swing or whisk.
“to switch a cane”
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Switch (verb)
To be swung or whisked.
“The angry cat’s tail switched back and forth.”
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Switch (verb)
To trim.
“to switch a hedge”
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Switch (verb)
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”
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Switch (verb)
To shift to another circuit.
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Switch (adjective)
Pertaining to riding with the front and back feet swapped round compared to one’s normal position.
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Switch (adjective)
Pertaining to skiing backwards.
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Toggle (noun)
A wooden or metal pin, short rod, crosspiece or similar, fixed transversely in the eye of a rope or chain to be secured to any other loop, ring, or bight, e.g. a sea painter to a lifeboat.
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Toggle (noun)
A rod-shaped button bound with slack to the fabric.
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Toggle (noun)
A toggle switch.
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Toggle (noun)
An appliance for transmitting force at right angles to its direction.
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Toggle (noun)
A horizontal piece of wood that is placed on a door, flat, or other wooden structure, but is not on one of the edges of the structure.
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Toggle (noun)
A loop of webbing or a dowel affixed to the end of the steering/brake lines of a parachute providing the pilot with a means of control.
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Toggle (verb)
To alternate between two positions using a single switch or lever.
“Clicking a button will alternately toggle its light on OR off.”
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Toggle (verb)
To switch between alternate states.
“toggle to lower/upper case”
“You can quickly toggle the case of selected text by pressing Alt+C.”
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Toggle (verb)
To fix like a toggle iron; to fix fast.
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Switch (noun)
a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit
“the guard hit a switch and the gate swung open”
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Switch (noun)
a program variable which activates or deactivates a certain function of a program.
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Switch (noun)
a device which forwards data packets to an appropriate part of the network.
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Switch (noun)
an act of changing to or adopting one thing in place of another
“his friends were surprised at his switch from newspaper owner to farmer”
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Switch (noun)
a slender, flexible shoot cut from a tree.
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Switch (noun)
a set of points on a railway track.
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Switch (noun)
a tress of false or detached hair tied at one end, used in hairdressing to supplement natural hair.
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Switch (verb)
change the position, direction, or focus of
“the company switched the boats to other routes”
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Switch (verb)
adopt (something different) in place of something else; change
“she worked as a librarian and then switched to journalism”
“she’s managed to switch careers”
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Switch (verb)
substitute (two items) for each other; exchange
“after ten minutes, listener and speaker switch roles”
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Switch (verb)
beat or flick with or as if with a switch.
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Toggle (noun)
a short rod of wood or plastic sewn to one side of a coat or other garment, pushed through a hole or loop on the other side and twisted so as to act as a fastener.
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Toggle (noun)
a pin or other crosspiece put through the eye of a rope or a link of a chain to keep it in place.
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Toggle (noun)
a kind of wall fastener for use on open-backed plasterboard, having a part that springs open or turns through 90° after it is inserted so as to prevent withdrawal.
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Toggle (noun)
a movable pivoted crosspiece acting as a barb on a harpoon.
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Toggle (noun)
a key or command that is operated the same way but with opposite effect on successive occasions.
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Toggle (verb)
switch from one effect, feature, or state to another by using a toggle
“there are a number of attributes which can be toggled on or off”
“the play/pause button toggles between those functions”
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Toggle (verb)
provide or fasten with a toggle or toggles
“a toggled coat”
“our horses were hobbled or toggled before they were turned out to graze”