1
- a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit开关：
the guard hit a switch and the gate swung open.
守卫按了一下开关, 大门就打开了。
1.1
- Computing a program variable which activates or deactivates a certain function of a program【计算机】切换。
2
- an act of adopting one policy or way of life, or choosing one type of item, in place of another; a change, especially a radical one（政策, 生活方式, 挑选物品类型的）转变（尤指根本的改变）：
his friends were surprised at his switch from newspaper owner to farmer.
他的朋友对他由一个报纸业主转而成为农民感到吃惊。
3
- a slender flexible shoot cut from a tree（树上砍下的）细软枝条。
4
- N. Amer. a set of points on a railway track〈北美〉（铁道的）道岔。
5
- a tress of false or detached hair tied at one end, used in hairdressing to supplement natural hair假发。
with obj.
1
- change the position, direction, or focus of改变（立场, 方向, 焦点）：
the company switched the boats to other routes.
该公司把船调到了别的航线上。
1.1
- adopt (something different) in place of something else; change替换, 改变, 转变：
she's managed to switch careers.
她设法变换了职业。
1.2
- no obj. adopt a new policy, position, way of life, etc.转换（新政策, 立场, 生活方式等）：
she worked as a librarian and then switched to journalism.
她先是做图书管理员, 然后改行到新闻界工作。
1.3
- substitute (two items) for each other; exchange调换; 交换：
after ten minutes, listener and speaker switch roles.
十分钟以后, 听话者和说话者调换角色。
2
- archaic beat or flick with or as if with a switch〈古〉（用枝条）击打; 轻拂。
派生词
switchable
adjective词源
late 16th cent. (denoting a thin tapering riding whip)： probably from Low German.
短语动词
switch something off
1
- turn off an electrical device关上电器。
1.1
-
switch off
informal cease to pay attention〈非正式〉不再注意： as he waffles on, I switch off.
当他开始絮叨时, 我就不再听了。
switch something on
- turn on an electrical device打开电器。