. (Elec.) A switch consisting of one or more knifelike pieces hinged at one end and making contact near the other with flat gripping springs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Railroads) A switch made up of a rail from each track, both rails being tapered far back and connected to throw alongside the through rail of either track. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Railroading) same as Point switch. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. OD. swick a scourage, a whip. Cf. Swink, Swing. ] 1. A small, flexible twig or rod. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mauritania, on the fifth medal, leads a horse with something like a thread; in her other hand she holds a switch. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Railways) A movable part of a rail; or of opposite rails, for transferring cars from one track to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A separate mass or trees of hair, or of some substance (at jute) made to resemble hair, worn on the head by women. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Elec.) A device for shifting an electric current to another circuit, or for making and breaking a circuit. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Safety switch (Railways), a form of switch contrived to prevent or lessen the danger of derailment of trains. --
Switch back (Railways), an arrangement of tracks whereby elevations otherwise insurmountable are passed. The track ascends by a series of zigzags, the engine running alternately forward and back, until the summit is reached. --
Switch board (Elec.), a collection of switches in one piece of apparatus, so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected or combined in any desired manner. --
Switch grass. (Bot.) See under Grass. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Switched p. pr. & vb. n. Switching. ] 1. To strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To trim, as, a hedge. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; -- generally with off, from, etc.; as, to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Eccl.) To shift to another circuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To walk with a jerk. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an elctrical apparatus consisting predominantly of a panel on which are switches or other means of completing electrical circuits; -- used especially for the devices used in telephone exchanges. See sense 2. [ PJC ]

2. (Telephone) An apparatus containing switches by means of which a connection may be made from an incoming telephone line to any one of numerous outgoing lines. The switches may be either mechanical or electronic, and the switching action may be automatic, controlled by signals in the incoming call, or manual, controlled by a switchboard operator. In older style manual switchboards, the circuits were connected by the use of patchcords, inserted into plugs.
Syn. -- patchboard, plugboard, telephone exchange. [ PJC ]

n. [ See Sweet. ] A beverage of molasses and water, seasoned with vinegar and ginger. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a sudden and unexpected change or reversal of position, attitude, or action. [ PJC ]

a. & n. from Switch, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

Switching engine, a locomotive for switching cars from one track to another, and making up trains; -- called also switch engine. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a device used as part of an electronic device, which transforms electrical current from an AC line circuit to DC for use in electronic devices, and which can use either 110 volt or 220 volt AC line curent. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Switchmen One who tends a switch on a railway. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Whisking. [ Colloq. ] Coombe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Elec.) an electrical switch operated by pushing a lever through a small angle of deflection. The lever has a spring which returns it to its original position after the pressure applied by the operator is released. [ PJC ]

2. (Computer programming) A mechanism for acquiring input from an operator, such that taking some action (such as pressing a function key on a keyboard) will cause a program variable to take a new value. The values are usually changed in cyclic fashion, so that a certain number of activations of the toggle returns the variable to its initial value. When there are two values to the variable, each activation of the toggle causes the variable to assume the alternate value. [ PJC ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

. (Elec.) A switch which opens a circuit when the current falls below a certain predetermined value, used to protect certain types of motors from running at excessive speed upon decrease of load. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]