- a small device that you press or move up and down in order to turn a light or piece of electrical equipment on and off
- a light switch
- an on–off switch
- He flipped a switch and the lights came on.
- to flick/press a switch
- to throw a switch (= to move a large switch)
- (figurative) A young team can't just flip a switch and have the experience needed to win.
- That was in the days before electricity was available at the flick of a switch (= by simply pressing a switch).
Extra ExamplesTopics Engineeringb2- Which switch do I press to turn it off?
- This switch controls the heating system.
- I couldn't find the off switch on the remote control.
- Someone threw a switch and the electricity went off.
- The heater is on a timer switch.
- The mains switch is in the cupboard under the stairs.
- The pilot reached across to the huge bank of switches on his right and flicked a couple.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- master
- power
- electric
- …
- flick
- flip
- hit
- …
- activate something
- control something
- operate something
- …
- by a switch
- on a switch
- switch for
- …
- at the flick of a switch
- a change from one thing to another, especially when this is sudden and complete
- a policy switch
- switch in/of something a switch of priorities
- switch from A to B She made the switch from full-time to part-time work when her first child was born.
Extra Examples- The team's manager made a shrewd tactical switch in defence.
- There will be no overnight switch away from old voting habits.
- the recent switches between direct and indirect taxation
- theatre directors who make the switch over to films
- their abrupt switch in allegiance
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- abrupt
- sudden
- big
- …
- make
- switch away from
- switch from
- switch back to
- …
- (North American English) the points on a railway lineTopics Transport by bus and trainc2
- a thin stick that bends easily
Word Originlate 16th cent. (denoting a thin tapering riding whip): probably from Low German.
Idioms
See switch in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee switch in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishasleep at the switch (North American English)
(also asleep on the job, asleep at the wheel (both British and North American English))
- not paying enough attention to what you need to do
- Someone must have been asleep at the switch to alow this to happen.
- They were asleep on the job as the financial crisis deepened.
- Let's hope the regulators are not asleep at the wheel.
Check pronunciation:
switch