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to switch

7 8.1
To hit someone with a thin flexible stick as punishment
  • verb
  • /swɪtʃ/
  • NSFW
translation icon : azotar
  • 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

to flog
vsto switch
  • NSFW
18 8.3

Hit someone with a whip or stick as punishment

is a striking action with a flexible rod not always for punishment
to slog
vsto switch
7.0

To hit someone or something very hard, for example with a fist

uses a flexible rod to deliver whiplike blows instead of blunt force

Antonyms

55 3.4

To touch someone or something gently to show love

Idioms

3 8.7

When you should be paying attention, you miss important things

9.9

To suddenly become very angry and behave in a mean way

9.9

To suddenly become very angry and act aggressive

Phrasal Verbs

37 1.1

To stop a machine or light by using a control such as a button

32 1.6

To make a device like a light start working by pressing a button or moving a switch

Move from one system or method to another

Cause a sudden change, for example by moving a small control to turn something on

4 6.1

Make a small change for a short time to try something different

Leave one team or group to join another

Compounds

A sales trick that advertises a low price then sells a more expensive item

ignition switch
  • Specialized
4 3.5

A switch in a car that starts the engine

3 6.8

A baseball player who bats both right-handed and left-handed

A control that turns a device on or off

A control that turns power to a device on or off

toggle switch
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A small lever you move to turn electric power on or off

DIP switch
  • Specialized
1 6.3

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

A control you move to choose a setting on a machine

1 9.9

An informal term for a person who is sexually attracted to both men and women

9.9

A sudden change to mean, angry actions after something upsets someone

blab-off switch
  • Informal
9.9

A button you press to stop someone from talking too much

7.4

A small row of tiny switches on a computer board used to set hardware options

A small device on a wall that turns electricity on and off

switch grass
  • Specialized
6.0

A tall North American grass that farmers cut for hay and to prevent soil erosion

switch cane
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall grass that grows in wet places in the southern United States

switch engine
  • Specialized
6.6

A small vehicle that moves train cars inside a rail yard

9.9

A quickly growing bush that stays green all year with arching crossed branches and white flower clusters

three-point switch
  • Specialized
5.5

A device with three wires that lets you turn lights on or off from two places

three-way switch
  • Specialized
5.5

A device that lets you turn a light on or off from two different places

time-switch
  • Specialized
4.2

A switch that turns a device on or off at a set time

toggle switch
  • Specialized
3.5

A control you press to turn a setting on or off

How Hard

whip
32 2.5
to flog
  • NSFW
18 8.3
to switch
  • NSFW
7 8.1
to strike
553 2.4
to tap
174 1.0

Surface Forms

switch infinitive
switched past
switched past participle
switching present participle
switches third person singular

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.