Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

switch

 
Dictionary: switch   (swĭch) pronunciation
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Dictionary
n.
  1. A slender flexible rod, stick, or twig, especially one used for whipping.
  2. The bushy tip of the tail of certain animals: a cow's switch.
  3. A thick strand of real or synthetic hair used as part of a coiffure.
  4. A flailing or lashing, as with a slender rod.
  5. A device used to break or open an electric circuit or to divert current from one conductor to another.
  6. A device consisting of two sections of railroad track and accompanying apparatus used to transfer rolling stock from one track to another.
    1. The act or process of operating a switching device.
    2. The result achieved by such an act.
  8. An exchange or a swap, especially one done secretly.
  9. A transference or shift, as of opinion or attention.

v., switched, switch·ing, switch·es.

v.tr.
  1. Chiefly Southern U.S. To whip with or as if with a switch, especially in punishing a child.
  2. To jerk or swish abruptly or sharply: a cat switching its tail.
  3. To shift, transfer, or divert: switched the conversation to a lighter subject.
  4. To exchange: asked her brother to switch seats with her.
  5. To connect, disconnect, or divert (an electric current) by operating a switch.
  6. To cause (an electric current or appliance) to begin or cease operation: switched the lights on and off.
  7. Informal. To produce as if by operating a control. Often used with on: switched on the charm.
  8. To move (rolling stock) from one track to another; shunt.
v.intr.
  1. To make or undergo a shift or an exchange: The office has switched to shorter summer hours.
  2. To swish sharply from side to side.
phrasal verb:

switch off Informal.

  1. To stop paying attention; lose interest.

[Probably of Low German or Flemish origin.]

switchable switch'a·ble adj.
switcher switch'er n.

Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Sci-Tech Encyclopedia: Electric switch
Top
Home > Library > Science > Sci-Tech Encyclopedia

A device that makes, breaks, or changes the course of an electric circuit. Basically, an electric switch consists of two or more contacts mounted on an insulating structure and arranged so that they can be moved into and out of contact with each other by a suitable operating mechanism.

The term switch is usually used to denote only those devices intended to function when the circuit is energized or deenergized under normal manual operating conditions; as contrasted with circuit breakers, which have as one of their primary functions the interruption of short-circuit currents. Although there are hundreds of types of electric switches, their application can be broadly classified into two major categories: power and signal.

In power applications, switches function to energize or deenergize an electric load. On the low end of the power scale, wall switches are used in homes and offices for turning lights on and off; dial and push-button switches control power to electric ranges, washing machines, and dishwashers. On the high end of the scale are load-break switches and disconnecting switches in power systems at the highest voltages (several hundred thousand volts).

For power applications, when closed, switches are required to carry a certain amount of continuous current without overheating, and in the open position they must provide enough insulation to isolate the circuit electrically.

Load-break switches are required also to have the capability of interrupting the load current. Although this requirement is easily met in low-voltage and low-current applications, for high-voltage and high-current circuits, arc interrupters, similar to those used in circuit breakers are needed. In medium-voltage applications the most popular interrupter is the air magnetic type, in which the arc is driven into an arc chute by the magnetic field produced by the load current in a blowout coil. See also Blowout coil; Circuit breaker.

Some load-break switches may also be required to have the capability of holding the contacts in the closed position during short-circuit conditions so that the contacts will not be blown open by electromagnetic forces when the circuit breaker in the system interrupts the short-circuit current.

For signal applications, switches are used to detect a specified situation that calls for some predetermined action in the electrical circuit. For example, thermostats detect temperature; when a certain limit is reached, contacts in the thermostat energize or deenergize another electrical switching device to control power flow.

Switches for signaling purposes are often required to have long life, high speed, and high reliability. Contaminants and dust must be prevented from interfering with the operation of the switch. For this purpose, switches are usually enclosed and are sometimes hermetically sealed.

Switches frequently are composed of many single circuit elements, known as poles, all operated simultaneously or in a predetermined sequence by the same mechanism. Switches are often typed by the number of poles and referred to as single-pole or double-pole switches, and so on. It is also common to express the number of possible switch positions per pole, such as a single-throw or double-throw switch.

Computer Desktop Encyclopedia: switch
Top
Home > Library > Technology > Computer Encyclopedia

(1) A mechanical or electronic device that directs the flow of electrical or optical signals from one side to the other. Switches with more than two ports, such as a LAN switch or PBX, are able to route traffic. See LAN switch, softswitch, PBX, data switch and transistor.

With regard to a simple on/off switch, remember... Open is "off." Closed is "on."

(2) In programming, a bit or byte used to keep track of something. Sometimes refers to a branch in a program.

(3) A modifier of a command. See DOS switch.

Mechanical and Semiconductor Switches
The semiconductor switch (transistor) performs the same function as an on/off light switch on the wall. Instead of being manually closed, the switch is electronically closed by pulsing the semiconductor material, which makes it conduct.

A Manual Switch
This early switch panel from New York Electric Switchboard Company was used to manually open and close electric lines.

Download Computer Desktop Encyclopedia to your iPhone/iTouch

Investment Dictionary: Switch
Top
Home > Library > Business & Finance > Investment Dictionary

A futures-trading strategy involving the offset of one contract with entry into another position that has nearly identical details but a longer expiration. Commonly referred to as a "roll forward".

Investopedia Says:
A switch is used by investors wishing to maintain their current positions in contracts that are nearing expiry.

For example, let's say that it is currently Jan 2004, and an energy company that will have 100,000 barrels of oil to sell in Jun 2006 wants to hedge its position. However, the company does not simply buy the Jul 2006 oil futures contract because the company deems this contract too illiquid. It requires a contract to have a delivery period of no more than 13 months in advance. A possible hedging strategy for the company is to short the appropriate number of Jul 2005 contracts, in Jun 2005, close out the Jul 2005 position, and then switch to the Jul 2006 contract.

Related Links:
For those who are new to futures but want a solid understanding of them, this tutorial explains what futures contracts are, how they work and why investors use them. Futures Fundamentals


Banking Dictionary: Switch
Top
Home > Library > Business & Finance > Banking Dictionary

1. Foreign Exchange. The intended effect of intervention in currency markets by central monetary authorities. Switching policy is intended to reverse the rate at which a nation's currency flows out of, or is absorbed by, domestic markets, and has further impact on a nation's balance of trade.

2. Futures. Liquidating an existing position and simultaneously reinstating a position in another futures contract of the same type. Known as switching.

3. Computer facility in shared Electronic Funds Transfer networks that routes transactions between a terminal and a card issuing bank's host computer. A switch in front clears all transactions processed through a network; a switch behind clears only transactions initiated by customers of other financial institutions-on others transactions. See also Intercept Processor; Stand-in Processing.

4. Foreign Trade. The practice of exporting or importing goods through a third country. This commonly is done when the destination country is short of U.S. Dollars and the intermediary country has available dollars and is willing to exchange the destination country's currency. Switch transactions must conform with various laws covering export licenses. See also Third Country Acceptance.

5. Mutual Funds. Moving assets from one fund to another, within a family of funds.

Thesaurus: switch
Top
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Thesaurus

noun

    The act of exchanging or substituting: change, commutation, exchange, interchange, shift, substitution, trade, transposition. Informal swap. See change/persist, substitute.

verb

  1. To move to and fro vigorously and usually repeatedly: wag1, waggle, wave. See repetition.
  2. To leave or discard for another: change, shift. See change/persist, substitute.
  3. To give up in return for something else: change, commute, exchange, interchange, shift, substitute, trade. Informal swap. See change/persist, substitute.

Idioms: switch
Top
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Idioms

Idioms beginning with switch:
switch off
switch on

See also asleep at the switch; bait and switch.

Antonyms: switch
Top
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Antonyms

n

Definition: change, exchange
Antonyms: inactivity, stagnation

Architecture: switch
Top
Home > Library > Home & Garden > Architecture and Construction

A device used to open or close an electric circuit or to change the connection of a circuit.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: switch
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Columbia Encyclopedia
switch, electrical device having two states: on, or closed; and off, or open. Ideally a switch offers a zero impedance to a current when it is closed, and it offers infinite impedance when open. Mechanical switches, which operate by moving contacts together and apart, are often classified by the number of connections they can make or break at once and the number of closed positions in which they can be placed. A single-pole double-throw switch can be placed in either of two closed positions, making one connection in each position. A double-pole single-throw switch can open or close two connections at once. For many operations, as in computers and digital telecommunications, the operation of mechanical switches is too slow and transistors are used instead. The PIN diode, which contains an intermediate intrinsic layer between the n-type and p-type layers, is also used as a simple switch. This device, which normally acts as a conductor, acts as a strong dielectric when the intrinsic layer is reverse biased. See relay.

Bibliography

See J. C. McDonald, Fundamentals of Digital Switching (1990).

Word Tutor: switch
Top
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Spelling & Usage
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A device used to open or close an electric circuit. Also: A change. Also: A slender flexible rod, stick, or twig, especially one used for whipping.

pronunciation Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch. — Ivern Ball.

Wikipedia: Switch
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
For other uses, see Switch (disambiguation).

In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another.[1][2] The most familiar form of switch is a manually operated electromechanical device with one or more sets of electrical contacts. Each set of contacts can be in one of two states: either 'closed' meaning the contacts are touching and electricity can flow between them, or 'open', meaning the contacts are separated and nonconducting.

A switch may be directly manipulated by a human as a control signal to a system, such as a computer keyboard button, or to control power flow in a circuit, such as a light switch. Automatically-operated switches can be used to control the motions of machines, for example, to indicate that a garage door has reached its full open position or that a machine tool is in a position to accept another workpiece. Switches may be operated by process variables such as pressure, temperature, flow, current, voltage, and force, acting as sensors in a process and used to automatically control a system. For example, a thermostat is an automatically-operated switch used to control a heating process. A switch that is operated by another electrical circuit is called a relay. Large switches may be remotely operated by a motor drive mechanism. Some switches are used to isolate electric power from a system, providing a visible point of isolation that can be pad-locked if necessary to prevent accidental operation of a machine during maintenance, or to prevent electric shock.

Three pushbutton switches (Tactile Switches). Major scale is inches.

Contents

Contacts

A toggle switch in the "on" position.

In the simplest case, a switch has two pieces of metal called contacts that touch to make a circuit, and separate to break the circuit. The contact material is chosen for its resistance to corrosion, because most metals form insulating oxides that would prevent the switch from working. Contact materials are also chosen on the basis of electrical conductivity, hardness (resistance to abrasive wear), mechanical strength, low cost and low toxicity[3].

Sometimes the contacts are plated with noble metals. They may be designed to wipe against each other to clean off any contamination. Nonmetallic conductors, such as conductive plastic, are sometimes used.

Actuator

The moving part that applies the operating force to the contacts is called the actuator, and may be a toggle or dolly, a rocker, a push-button or any type of mechanical linkage (see photo).

Arcs and quenching

When the wattage being switched is sufficiently large, the electron flow across opening switch contacts is sufficient to ionize the air molecules across the tiny gap between the contacts as the switch is opened, forming a gas plasma, also known as an electric arc. The plasma is of low resistance and is able to sustain power flow, even with the separation distance between the switch contacts steadily increasing. The plasma is also very hot and is capable of eroding the metal surfaces of the switch contacts.

Where the voltage is sufficiently high, an arc can also form as the switch is closed and the contacts approach. If the voltage potential is sufficient to exceed the breakdown voltage of the air separating the contacts, an arc forms which is sustained until the switch closes completely and the switch surfaces make contact.

In either case, the standard method for minimizing arc formation and preventing contact damage is to use a fast-moving switch mechanism, typically using a spring-operated tipping-point mechanism to assure quick motion of switch contacts, regardless of the speed at which the switch control is operated by the user. Movement of the switch control lever applies tension to a spring until a tipping point is reached, and the contacts suddenly snap open or closed as the spring tension is released.

As the power being switched increases, other methods are used to minimize or prevent arc formation. A plasma is hot and will rise due to convection air currents. The arc can be quenched with a series of nonconductive blades spanning the distance between switch contacts, and as the arc rises its length increases as it forms ridges rising into the spaces between the blades, until the arc is too long to stay sustained and is extinguished. A puffer may be used to blow a sudden high velocity burst of gas across the switch contacts, which rapidly extends the length of the arc to extinguish it quickly.

Extremely large switches in excess of 100,000 watts capacity often place the switch contacts in something other than air to increase the resistance against arc formation, such as enclosing the switch contacts in a vacuum, or immersing the switch contacts in mineral oil.

Contact arrangements

Triple Pole Single Throw (TPST or 3PST) knife switch used to short the windings of a 3 phase wind turbine for braking purposes. Here the switch is shown in the open position.

A pair of contacts is said to be "closed" when current can flow one to the other. When the contacts are separated by an insulating air gap, an air space, they are said to be 'open', and no current can flow at typical voltages.

Switches are classified according to the arrangement of their contacts in electronics. Electricians installing building wiring use different nomenclature, such as "one-way", "two-way", "three-way" and "four-way" switches, which have different meanings in North American and British cultural regions as described in the table below.

Some contacts are normally open (Abbreviated "n.o." or "no") until closed by operation of the switch, while others are normally closed ("n.c. or "nc") and opened by the switch action.

A switch with both types of contact is called a changeover switch. These may be "make-before-break" which momentarily connect both circuits, or may be "break-before-make" which interrupts one circuit before closing the other.

The terms pole and throw are also used to describe switch contact variations. A pole is a set of contacts and terminals that are connected to a single circuit. A throw is one of two or more positions that the switch can adopt. A single-throw switch has one position that closes contacts, a double-throw switch has two position, and so on.

These terms give rise to abbreviations for the types of switch which are used in the electronics industry such as "single-pole, single-throw" (SPST) (the simplest type, "on or off") or "single-pole, double-throw" (SPDT), connecting either of two terminals to the common terminal. In electrical power wiring (i.e. House and building wiring by electricians) names generally involving the suffixed word "-way" are used; however, these terms differ between British and American English and the terms two way and three way are used in both with different meanings.

Electronics specification and abbreviation Expansion
of
abbreviation		 British
mains
wiring
name		 American
electrical
wiring
name		 Description Symbol IEC 60617
SPST Single pole, single throw One-way Two-way A simple on-off switch: The two terminals are either connected together or not connected to anything. An example is a light switch. SPST-Switch.svg Symbol circuit breaker (one-pole).svg
SPDT Single pole, double throw Two-way Three-way A simple changeover switch: C (COM, Common) is connected to L1 or to L2. SPDT-Switch.svg Symbol change over switch.svg
SPCO
SPTT, c.o.		 Single pole changeover
or
Single pole, centre off or
Single Pole, Triple Throw		     Similar to SPDT. Some suppliers use SPCO/SPTT for switches with a stable off position in the centre and SPDT for those without.[citation needed]    
DPST Double pole, single throw Double pole Double pole Equivalent to two SPST switches controlled by a single mechanism DPST-symbol.svg Symbol circuit breaker (two-pole).svg
DPDT Double pole, double throw     Equivalent to two SPDT switches controlled by a single mechanism: A is connected to B and D to E, or A is connected to C and D to F. DPDT-symbol.svg Symbol change over switch (two-pole).svg
DPCO Double pole changeover
or Double pole, centre off		     Equivalent to DPDT. Some suppliers use DPCO for switches with a stable off position in the centre and DPDT for those without.
    Intermediate switch Four-way switch DPDT switch internally wired for polarity-reversal applications: only four rather than six wires are brought outside the switch housing; with the above, B is connected to F and C to E; hence A is connected to B and D to C, or A is connected to C and D to B. Crossover-switch-symbol.svg Symbol cross switch.svg

Switches with larger numbers of poles or throws can be described by replacing the "S" or "D" with a number or in some cases the letter "T" (for "triple"). In the rest of this article the terms SPST, SPDT and intermediate will be used to avoid the ambiguity in the use of the word "way".

Biased switches

A biased switch is one containing a spring that returns the actuator to a certain position. The "on-off" notation can be modified by placing parentheses around all positions other than the resting position. For example, an (on)-off-(on) switch can be switched on by moving the actuator in either direction away from the centre, but returns to the central off position when the actuator is released.

The momentary push-button switch is a type of biased switch. The most common type is a "push-to-make" (or normally-open or NO) switch, which makes contact when the button is pressed and breaks when the button is released. Each key of a computer keyboard, for example, is a normally-open "push-to-make" switch. A "push-to-break" (or normally-closed or NC) switch, on the other hand, breaks contact when the button is pressed and makes contact when it is released. An example of a push-to-break switch is a button used to release a door held open by an electromagnet.

Special types

Switches can be designed to respond to any type of mechanical stimulus: for example, vibration (the trembler switch), tilt, air pressure, fluid level (the float switch), the turning of a key (key switch), linear or rotary movement (the limit switch or microswitch), or presence of a magnetic field (the reed switch).

Mercury tilt switch

The mercury switch consists of a drop of mercury inside a glass bulb with 2 contacts. The two contacts pass through the glass, and are connected by the mercury when the bulb is tilted to make the mercury roll on to them.

This type of switch performs much better than the ball tilt switch, as the liquid metal connection is unaffected by dirt, debris and oxidation, it wets the contacts ensuring a very low resistance bounce-free connection, and movement and vibration do not produce a poor contact. These types can be used for precision works.

It can also be used where arcing is dangerous (such as in the presence of explosive vapour) as the entire unit is sealed.

Knife switch

Knife switches consist of a flat metal blade, hinged at one end, with an insulating handle for operation, and a fixed contact. When the switch is closed, current flows through the hinged pivot and blade and through the fixed contact. Such switches are usually not enclosed. The parts may be mounted on an insulating base with terminals for wiring, or may be directly bolted to an insulated switch board in a large assembly. Since the electrical contacts are exposed, the switch is used only where people cannot accidentally come in contact with the switch.

Knife switches are made in many sizes from miniature switches to large devices used to carry thousands of amperes. In electrical transmission and distribution, gang-operated switches are used in circuits up to the highest voltages.

The disadvantages of the knife switch are the slow opening speed anparts. Metal-enclosed safety disconnect switches are used for isolation of circuits in industrial power distribution. Sometimes spring-loaded auxiliary blades are fitted which momentarily carry the full current during opening, then quickly part to rapidly extinguish the arc.


Others

Intermediate switch

A DPDT switch has six connections, but since polarity reversal is a very common usage of DPDT switches, some variations of the DPDT switch are internally wired specifically for polarity reversal. These crossover switches only have four terminals rather than six. Two of the terminals are inputs and two are outputs. When connected to a battery or other DC source, the 4-way switch selects from either normal or reversed polarity. Intermediate switches are also an important part of multiway switching systems with more than two switches (see next section).

Light switches

Main article: Light switch

In building wiring, light switches are installed at convenient locations to control lighting and occasionally other circuits. By use of multiple-pole switches, control of a lamp can be obtained from two or more places, such as the ends of a corridor or stairwell.

Power switching

When a switch is designed to switch significant power, the transitional state of the switch as well as the ability to stand continuous operating currents must be considered. When a switch is in the on state its resistance is near zero and very little power is dropped in the contacts; when a switch is in the off state its resistance is extremely high and even less power is dropped in the contacts. However when the switch is flicked the resistance must pass through a state where briefly a quarter (or worse if the load is not purely resistive) of the load's rated power is dropped in the switch.

For this reason, most power switches (most light switches and almost all larger switches) have spring mechanisms in them to make sure the transition between on and off is as short as possible regardless of the speed at which the user moves the rocker.

Power switches usually come in two types. A momentary on-off switch (such as on a laser pointer) usually takes the form of a button and only closes the circuit when the button is depressed. A regular on-off switch (such as on a flashlight) has a constant on-off feature. Dual-action switches incorporate both of these features.

A diagram of a dual-action switch system

Inductive loads

When a strongly inductive load such as an electric motor is switched off, the current cannot drop instantaneously to zero; a spark will jump across the opening contacts. Switches for inductive loads must be rated to handle these cases. The spark will cause electromagnetic interference if not suppressed; a snubber network of a resistor and capacitor in series will quell the spark.


Contact bounce

Contact bounce (also called chatter) is a common problem with mechanical switches and relays. Switch and relay contacts are usually made of springy metals that are forced into contact by an actuator. When the contacts strike together, their momentum and elasticity act together to cause bounce. The result is a rapidly pulsed electrical current instead of a clean transition from zero to full current. The effect is usually unimportant in power circuits, but causes problems in some analogue and logic circuits that respond fast enough to misinterpret the on-off pulses as a data stream[4].

Sequential digital logic circuits are particularly vulnerable to contact bounce. The voltage waveform produced by switch bounce usually violates the amplitude and timing specifications of the logic circuit. The result is that the circuit may fail, due to problems such as metastability, race conditions, runt pulses and glitches.

The effects of contact bounce can be eliminated by use of mercury-wetted contacts, but these are now infrequently used because of the hazard of mercury release. Contact circuits can be filtered to reduce or eliminate multiple pulses. In digital systems, multiple samples of the contact state can be taken or a time delay can be implemented so that the contact bounce has settled before the contact input is used to control anything.

Electronic switches

Since the advent of digital logic in the 1950s, the term has spread to a variety of digital active devices such as transistors and logic gates whose function is to change their output state between two logic levels or connect different signal lines, and even computers, network switches, whose function is to provide connections between different ports in a computer network.[5] The term 'switched' is also applied to telecommunications networks, and signifies a network that is circuit switched, providing dedicated circuits for communication between end nodes, such as the public switched telephone network. The common feature of all these usages is they refer to devices that control a binary state: they are either on or off, closed or open, connected or not connected.

References

  1. ^ "Switch". The Free Dictionary. Farlex. 2008. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/switch. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  2. ^ "Switch". The American Heritage Dictionary, College Edition. Houghton Mifflin. 1979. pp. 1301. 
  3. ^ "General Electric Contact Materials". Electrical Contact Catalog (Material Catalog). Tanaka Precious Metals. 2005. http://www.tanaka-precious.com/catalog/material.html. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  4. ^ Walker, PMB, Chambers Science and Technology Dictionary, Edinburgh, 1988, ISBN 1852961503
  5. ^ "'Switch'". Telecom definitions. SearchTelecom.com. 2007. http://searchtelecom.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid103_gci213079,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 

See also

External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Electric switches

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Translations: Switch
Top
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Translations

Dansk (Danish)
n. - tynd kæp, pisk, fletning, haledusk, kontakt, omskifter, afbryder
v. tr. - skifte, bytte, svinge, dreje, piske, tæske med en kæp, slå med, rangere
v. intr. - udskiftet, udbyttet

Nederlands (Dutch)
wisselen, schakelen, wissel, schakelaar, teen, haarstukje

Français (French)
n. - changement, (Élec) interrupteur, (US, Rail) aiguillage, voie de garage, badine, cravache, postiche
v. tr. - changer de, reporter (l'attention) (sur), transférer (un compte bancaire) (dans), (Aut) changer de voie, intervertir, permuter, donner un coup de badine à (un cheval), (Rail) aiguiller (un train)
v. intr. - (lit, fig) changer, alterner, permuter, (Comput) basculer vers qch

idioms:

  • switch gears    (Aut) changer de vitesse
  • switch off    (Élec) s'éteindre, éteindre (une personne), décrocher (fam), (Aut, Élec) éteindre, couper (l'approvisionnement), éteindre/couper (un moteur), (fig) cesser (de faire)
  • switch on    (Élec) s'allumer, allumer (qn), (Aut, Élec) allumer, mettre (qch) en marche, (fig) faire (du charme), être émoustillé, planer (un drogué)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gerte, Weiche, Wechsel, Umstellung, Schalter, falscher Zopf
v. - wechseln, tauschen, (um)schalten, umstellen, umleiten, schlagen, sausen lassen

idioms:

  • switch gears    die Haltung Ändern
  • switch off    ein Gerät ausmachen
  • switch on    ein Gerät anmachen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - διακόπτης, (ΗΠΑ) κλειδί σιδηροτροχιάς, μεταστροφή, ανταλλαγή, τράμπα, βέργα, βίτσα, φούντα ουράς ζώου, ποστίς, (καθομ.) κλοπή (εκθέματος καταστήματος)
v. - ανάβω ή σβήνω (φως κ.λπ.), μεταστρέφω/-ομαι, εκτρέπω/-ομαι, μεταπίπτω, μεταπηδώ, αλλάζω, (αντι)μεταθέτω, τραβώ ή αποσπώ απότομα, βιτσίζω

Italiano (Italian)
cambiare, fuscello, parrucca, scambio, passaggio, interruttore

Português (Portuguese)
n. - chave (f), chicote (m)
v. - comutar, alternar

Русский (Russian)
прут, хлыст, фальшивая коса, кисточка хвоста (животного), резкое движение, взмах, переключение, изменение, переключатель, ж.-д. стрелка, запасный путь, сбивалка (для яиц), стегать прутом или хлыстом, размахивать, делать резкие движения, менять (тему разговора), поменять, переключать

Español (Spanish)
n. - varilla, fusta, látigo, postizo, aguja, cambio, interruptor, conmutador, cortacorriente, llave
v. tr. - cambiar, desviar, azotar, fustigar, dar latigazos a, dar un tirón a
v. intr. - cambiar, desviar, cambiar de métodos, de lugar, de palo en un juego de naipes

idioms:

  • switch gears    cambiar de velocidad
  • switch off    desconectar, apagar (la luz)
  • switch on    conectar, dar, encender (la luz)

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - strömbrytare, knapp, omkopplare, växel, övergång, ändring, lösfläta, spö
v. - ändra, koppla in (till), byta, växla, svänga, klippa, tukta

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
开关, 转换, 电闸, 转变, 摆动, 变换

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 開關, 轉換, 電閘
v. tr. - 轉換, 轉變
v. intr. - 轉換, 擺動, 變換

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 스위치, 개폐기, 꼭지
v. tr. - (전류를)통하다, 켜다, 끄다
v. intr. - 스위치를 돌리다, 끄다, 전환하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - スイッチ, 転てつ機, 変化, 取り換え, しなやかな枝, むち, 入れ毛
v. - スイッチを入れる, 変える, 変わる, むち打つ, さっと振る, 転てつする

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) المفتاح الكهربائي , تحول (فعل) يحول القطار من خط لاخر , يغير أو يتغير فجأة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מפסק, מתג, כפתור, מסוט, ענף גמיש, שבט, מערכת לניהול העברות כספים (מחשבים), תלתל (בפיאה נוכרית), שינוי, העברה‬
v. tr. - ‮הסיט, עיתק, הצליף, החליף, שינה, חטף, הניע בתנופה, היכה, הדליק/כיבה‬
v. intr. - ‮החליף, שינה, הדליק/כיבה‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. THIS COPYRIGHTED DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.
All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.
© 1981-2009 Computer Language Company Inc.  All rights reserved.  Read more
Investment Dictionary. Copyright ©2000, Investopedia.com - Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Banking Dictionary. Dictionary of Banking Terms. Copyright © 2006 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms. © 1999-2009 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
Architecture. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Switch".  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more