to switch on
57
1.6
- phrasal verb
- /swɪtʃ ɑn/
- I heard my father go into the living room and switch on the TV.
- switched on a light
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Watch on YouTubeOK, so fear creates an arousal that switches on the fight or flight nervous system, right?
- OK, so fear creates an arousal that switches on the fight or flight nervous system, right?
- I'd like to switch each switch on and off only once per AC output cycle.
- So can you, is this something that that you can, can you tap into it or is it just switched on all the time?
- It's actually looped into big loops that tell genes to be switched on, and genes that should be switched off are bundled up tightly.
- The quality of your relationship will skyrocket immensely by doing any of those three out of the four, then just switching on the telly.
- Well, it turns out that this chemical erection acts like a finger on the light switch of all of the apparatus in your brain that switches on to force you awake.
- So when you switch on the heating in your home, you pay for the gas, but you don't pay for the pollution.
Examples
-
Perrin flung open the door, switched on the lights, stooped, and peered under the housing.
Fiction book (1992) -
With renewed dread, Holly went into the bathroom and switched on the harsh fluorescent light.
Fiction book (1991) -
Just a minute, Sir, now while I switch on the light.
-
We need to find the control room and switch on the generator.
-
After his first sip, he used a remote control to switch on a TV set.
Fiction book (1991) -
Switch on the underwater landing lights.
-
Uncle Lofton got out of bed and switched on the electric light.
Fiction book (1993) -
I'm going to switch on the Variac, which powers up the crowd cooler.
-
I snuck over to the other side of the room and switched on the black-and-white TV.
Academic text (2009) -
Before the meeting starts, please switch on the projector to display the presentation.
Synonyms
723
1.0
To make a machine or device start working
182
1.0
To make a machine or light start working
86
3.0
To make a machine or system begin to work
57
3.5
Turn on a computer or other device so it starts working
16
3.5
Cause a sudden change, for example by moving a small control to turn something on
2
7.3
To make a machine start working
Antonyms
How Ready
765
3.7
- Informal
57
3.5
- Specialized
46
4.5
57
1.6
12
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to make a device or system start working' is directly and predictably built from 'switch' (to change/operate) + 'on' (powered/active); the particle gives the resultative state and the verb names the action, so the combined sense is compositional. This verb+particle pattern is common in English (and has clear parallels in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Switch on comes from the simple image of a small lever or button called a switch that you move to the on position so electricity can flow. So to switch on something means 'to make it start working'.