Word: switch Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Perhaps from Middle Dutch swijch (“twig”), first attested in c. 1592. The mechanical device for altering the direction of something sense is first attested in c. 1797, pertaining to pivoted rails on minecart railways, which were once wooden. Pronunciation: /swɪt͡ʃ/ 1. A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow. 2. A change or exchange. Example: After many complications and sudden switches of career and identity for all […] they end up selling out for fame and money, and leave the boardwalk for good. Example: Wenger sent on Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie to try to finish Leeds off and with 14 minutes left the switch paid off as the Spaniard sent Bendtner away down the right and his wonderful curling cross was headed in by Van Persie at the far post. 3. A movable section of railroad track which allows the train to be directed down one of two destination tracks; (set of) points. Labels: Philippines, US 4. A long, slender woody plant stem or a flexible, thin rod used as a whip to administer corporal punishment in the United States. Example: Their mother would walk out into the yard and cut a switch from a tree and beat him—beat him, it seemed to Florence, until any other boy would have fallen down dead; […] Example: "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. Synonym of rute. 6. A command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior. Example: Use the /b switch to specify black-and-white printing. 7. A programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression. 8. 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. 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. A mechanism within DNA that activates or deactivates a gene. 11. One who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship. Labels: especially Example: 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. 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. Labels: historical 13. A variant of crazy eights where one card, such as an ace, reverses the direction of play. 14. Synonym of Glock switch. Labels: slang 15. Synonym of Glock switch. Labels: metonymically, slang Example: The way that switch brrt, I know he dyin' (Oh my, oh my God). 6-7, I just bipped right on the highway (Bip, bip). 16. A play in which the ball (or equivalent) is moved from one side of the playing area to the other. Example: Once a sign of surrender and lead protection, the backwards kick plays a role in one of the most enterprising, enjoyable phases of the modern game: the switch. In an era where zones, presses, zone-presses and floods are ever present, the switch breaks through these tactical innovations like a hot knife through butter. 17. The process of the currently fronting headmate changing; an instance of this. Example: Switches only happen once every couple weeks for us, but they're quite sudden when they happen.