[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

switch \switch\, 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
see also:
swink swing safety switch switch back switch board switch grass 
grass 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

switch \switch\, v. i.
   to walk with a jerk. prov. eng.
   1913 webster

[3] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

switch \switch\, 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
see also:
switched switching 

[4] : WordNet (r) 2.0

switch
     n 1: control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or
          electronic device for making or breaking or changing the
          connections in a circuit syn: electric switch, electrical
          switch
     2: an event in which one thing is substituted for another; "the
        replacement of lost blood by a transfusion of donor blood"
        syn: substitution, permutation, transposition, replacement
     3: hairpiece consisting of a tress of false hair; used by women
        to give shape to a coiffure
     4: railroad track having two movable rails and necessary
        connections; used to turn a train from one track to
        another or to store rolling stock
     5: a flexible implement used as an instrument of punishment
     6: a basketball maneuver; two defensive players shift
        assignments so that each guards the player usually guarded
        by the other
     7: the act of changing one thing or position for another; "his
        switch on abortion cost him the election" syn: switching,
         shift
     v 1: change over, change around, or switch over syn: switch
          over, exchange
     2: exchange or give something in exchange for syn: trade,
        swap, swop
     3: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; "switch to a
        different brand of beer"; "she switched psychiatrists";
        "the car changed lanes" syn: shift, change
     4: make a shift in or exchange of; "first joe led; then we
        switched" syn: change over, shift
     5: cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation; "switch
        on the light"; "throw the lever" syn: throw, flip
     6: flog with or as if with a flexible rod
     7: reverse a direction, attitude, or course of action syn: interchange,
         tack, alternate, flip, flip-flop
see also:
electric switch electrical switch substitution permutation transposition replacement 
switching shift switch over exchange trade 
swap swop change change over throw 
flip interchange tack alternate flip-flop 

[5] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

421 moby thesaurus words for "switch":
   about-face, accommodation, action, adaptation, adjustment, agency,
   alchemy, alteration, alternate, amelioration, anagnorisis, angle,
   apostacize, apostasy, apostatize, appendage, architectonics,
   architecture, argument, arm, assign, assimilate to, assimilation,
   assumption, astonishment, atmosphere, avert, background,
   backscratching, bandy, barter, baste, bastinado, be quits with,
   bear off, beat, become, becoming, belabor, belt, betterment, bine,
   birch, blockbuster, blow, bolt, bomb, bombshell, bough, branch,
   branchedness, branchiness, break, break away, bring to, buffet,
   burgeon, buy and sell, cane, carry over, catastrophe, catch,
   change, change for, change into, change of heart, change over,
   change sides, change-over, changeableness, characterization,
   chignon, club, color, communicate, commutation, commute,
   compensate, complication, compound for, consign,
   constructive change, continuity, contrivance, conversion, convert,
   cooperate, counterchange, cowhide, cudgel, cut, deadwood, deal,
   defect, defection, deflection, degeneration, degenerative change,
   delegation, deliver, denouement, deport, deputation, deputyship,
   desert, design, deterioration, development, deviate, deviation,
   device, difference, diffuse, direct, discontinuity, displacement,
   disseminate, divergence, diversification, diversion, diversity,
   divert, do business, do over, draw aside, drub, dub in,
   earthshaker, ease off, edge off, episode, even trade, exchange,
   expel, export, extradite, eye-opener, fable, fall, fall away,
   fall off, falling action, false hair, ferule, fitting, flagellate,
   flagellum, flail, flip-flop, flog, fly off, fork, frond, fustigate,
   gee, get back at, get even with, gimmick, give a whipping,
   give and take, give in exchange, give place to, give the stick,
   glance, glance off, go off, go over, gradual change, growth, hand,
   hand forward, hand on, hand over, haw, head off, horse-trade,
   horsewhip, imp, impart, import, improvement, incident, interchange,
   jib, joint, joker, kicker, knout, lace, lapse, lash, lay on, leg,
   limb, line, link, lobe, lobule, local color, logroll, logrolling,
   make, make do with, make over, make way for, melioration, member,
   metastasize, metathesize, mitigation, modification, modulation,
   mood, motif, move aside, movement, mythos, naturalization,
   naturalize, offer in exchange, offshoot, organ, overthrow, paddle,
   pandybat, pass, pass on, pass over, pass the buck, passage,
   pay back, perfuse, peripeteia, permute, pinion, pistol-whip, plan,
   plot, pommel, pork barrel, power of attorney, progress, pummel,
   put up with, qualification, quid pro quo, radical change, ramage,
   ramification, rat, rattan, rawhide, re-creation, re-formation,
   realignment, reciprocate, recognition, reconversion, reconvert,
   redeem, redesign, redirect, reduce to, reduction, reform,
   reformation, relay, remaking, render, renewal, replacement,
   representation, requite, reshaping, resolution, resolve into,
   respond, restructuring, retaliate, return, return the compliment,
   revelation, reversal, reverse, revival, revivification, revolution,
   ring in, rising action, rod, ruler, runner, sarment, scheme, scion,
   scourge, secede, secondary plot, sheer off, shift, shocker, shoot,
   shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle,
   slant, slip, smite, spank, spear, spray, spread, sprig, sprit,
   sprout, spur, staggerer, startler, steer clear of, step aside,
   stick, stolon, story, strap, strike, stripe, structure, subject,
   subplot, subrogation, substitute, substitution, sucker,
   sudden change, supersedence, superseding, supersedure,
   supersession, supplantation, supplanting, supplantment, surprisal,
   surprise, surprise ending, surprise package, surprise party, swap,
   swap horses, swapping, swinge, switch over, switch-over, tail,
   take in exchange, tendril, thallus, thematic development, theme,
   thrash, thump, thunderbolt, thunderclap, tit for tat, tone, topic,
   total change, trade, trade in, trade off, trade sight unseen,
   trading, traffic, transfer, transfer property, transform,
   transformation, transfuse, transit, transition, translate,
   translocate, transmit, transplace, transplant, transpose, trounce,
   truck, truncheon, turn, turn aside, turn away, turn back,
   turn cloak, turn into, turn over, turnabout, turning into, twig,
   twist, twitch, upheaval, variation, variety, veer off,
   vicariousness, violent change, volte-face, wag, waggle, wallop,
   wave, whale, whip, whop, wing, worsening

[6] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

switch
     
        1.  switch statement.
     
        2.  command line option.
     
        3.  packet switch, circuit switch.
     
        1999-01-14
     
     
see also:
switch statement command line option packet switch circuit switch 

Switch >> S Words
Switch, definition of term: Switch
switch_pag1.html

Switch Back >> S Words
Switch Back, definition of term: Switch Back
switch+back_pag1.html

Switch Over >> S Words
Switch Over, definition of term: Switch Over
switch+over_pag1.html

Toggle Switch >> T Words
Toggle Switch, definition of term: Toggle Switch
toggle+switch_pag1.html

Selector Switch >> S Words
Selector Switch, definition of term: Selector Switch
selector+switch_pag1.html

Scram Switch >> S Words
Scram Switch, definition of term: Scram Switch
scram+switch_pag1.html

Dip Switch >> D Words
Dip Switch, definition of term: Dip Switch
dip+switch_pag1.html

Ignition Switch >> I Words
Ignition Switch, definition of term: Ignition Switch
ignition+switch_pag1.html

Safety Switch >> S Words
Safety Switch, definition of term: Safety Switch
safety+switch_pag1.html

Context Switch >> C Words
Context Switch, definition of term: Context Switch
context+switch_pag1.html