to switch
- verb
- /swɪtʃ/
- NSFW
- The parent decided to switch her child with a flexible rod for not doing his homework.
Examples
-
Wincing at the feel of dead flesh, she switched it to the proper finger.
Fiction book (1994) -
Are you going to hickory-switch him or am I?
-
Why did speaking her own tongue mean getting rapped on the knuckles or switched across the shoulders?
Fiction book (1992) -
The teacher used a light switch to strike the student for misbehaving in class.
-
In the old days, children were often switched as a form of discipline for their misbehavior.
Synonyms
Hit someone with a whip or stick as punishment
To hit someone or something very hard, for example with a fist
Antonyms
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
To make a device like a light start working by pressing a button or moving a switch
Cause a sudden change, for example by moving a small control to turn something on
Compounds
- Specialized
A small group of tiny manual controls on electronic devices that set options
A device that connects and cuts the flow of electricity to turn a light or machine on and off
- Slang
An informal term for a person who is sexually attracted to both men and women
- Specialized
A small row of tiny switches on a computer board used to set hardware options
- Specialized
A tall North American grass that farmers cut for hay and to prevent soil erosion
- US
A quickly growing bush that stays green all year with arching crossed branches and white flower clusters
- Specialized
A device with three wires that lets you turn lights on or off from two places
- Specialized
A device that lets you turn a light on or off from two different places
How Hard
Surface Forms
Etymology
To switch someone (to strike or flog) comes from the noun switch, a thin flexible branch used for hitting, so to switch is to beat with such a twig.