- switch
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 small button/leverADJECTIVE▪ master, power▪
The master switch is under the stairs.
▪ electric, electrical▪ off, on, on-off▪I couldn't find the off switch on the remote control.
▪ dimmer, timer (esp. BrE), toggle (esp. AmE)▪We fitted dimmer switches in all the bedrooms.
▪ ignition, light, wall (AmE)VERB + SWITCH▪ flick, flip, hit, press, pull, throw, turn off, turn on▪Someone threw a switch and the electricity went off.
SWITCH + VERB▪ activate sth, control sth, operate sth▪This switch controls the heating system.
PREPOSITION▪ by a switch▪The light operates by a timer switch.
▪ on a switch▪The heater is on a timer switch.
▪ switch for▪the switch for the air conditioning
PHRASES▪ at the flick of a switch▪in the days before electricity was available at the flick of a switch
2 change that sb makesADJECTIVE▪ abrupt, sudden▪ big▪ complete▪ tactical (esp. BrE)▪The team's manager made a shrewd tactical switch.
VERB + SWITCH▪ makePREPOSITION▪ switch away from, switch from▪There will be no overnight switch away from old voting habits.
▪her switch from full-time to part-time work
▪ switch back to, switch over to, switch to▪He's a classical singer who has made the switch over to pop.
▪ switch between▪the recent switches between direct and indirect taxation
▪ switch in▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}their abrupt switch in allegiance
verbADVERB▪ easily, readily, simply▪ suddenly▪My mind suddenly switched back to my conversation with Jeremy.
▪ quickly▪ automatically▪ around, back, back and forth (esp. AmE), over, round (esp. BrE)VERB + SWITCH▪ decide to▪He decided to switch tactics.
PREPOSITION▪ between▪The remote control allows you to switch easily between TV channels.
▪ away from, from▪He switched his allegiance from the British to the French.
▪ to▪ with▪We asked them if they would switch places with us.
Switch is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑conversation
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
