喜樂美語

核心畫面

Picture a small lever or button you flick, and the flick sends things one way instead of the other — flick it and the light is on, flick again and it's off. That little flick that redirects is the heart of switch: with one move you send something onto a different path.

可以想成一個小小的按鈕或撥桿，手指一撥，東西就走這一邊、不走那一邊——一撥燈就亮，再撥燈就滅。switch 的核心比…更多收起可以想成一個小小的按鈕或撥桿，手指一撥，東西就走這一邊、不走那一邊——一撥燈就亮，再撥燈就滅。switch 的核心比較像那一下「撥」：一個動作，就把某個東西送上另一條路。

From the word’s history

The oldest sense is the one that now feels smallest: a switch was a thin whippy stick (1590s), from a Flemish/Low German word for 'twig, bough'. The railway then electrical 'switch' — a device that flicks a moving thing onto another course, from around 1797 — borrowed that flick, and 'to switch' meaning change grew out of the device.

最古老的意思，反而是現在看起來最不起眼的那個：switch 本來指一根細細、會彈的枝條（1590年代），來自法蘭德斯／低地德語表示「嫩枝、樹枝」的字。後來鐵路、再到電器的「開關」（一個把移動中的東西撥往另一條路的裝置，約1797年出現）借用了那「一撥」的動作，而動詞 switch（換掉、轉換）又從這個裝置長出來。

etymonline.com/word/switch (1590s 'slender riding whip', from Flemish/Low German swijch 'bough, twig'; mechanical sense from 1797, first on horse-drawn railways)

Four branches

換掉、改用

把那一下「撥」變抽象：不動任何實物，卻仍是一撥就從 A 走到 B。

change to something else · verb · B1

To stop doing or using one thing and start doing or using another.

轉換

對調、交換

還是 switch，但不是 A→B，而是 A 和 B 互換位子。

swap, exchange · verb · B1

To take away one thing and put another in its place; to exchange things.

對調

開關裝置與操作

這一族就是核心畫面的實物本身：那個一撥就改變去向的裝置，以及撥它的動作。

electrical switch · noun · B1

A small part you press or flick to start or stop electricity going to a light, machine, etc.

開關

細枝（字源本義）

這是字最老的意思，一根會彈的枝條；後來的「開關」正是從這根會彈的枝條得名。

thin stick, twig · noun · B1

A thin, bendy stick, usually cut from a tree.

細枝

原始詞典資料32 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

switchnoun/swɪt͡ʃ/

  • 1

    A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow.

  • 2

    A change or exchange.

    • After many complications and sudden switches of career and identity for all […] they end up selling out for fame and money, and leave the boardwalk for good.
    • Wenger sent on Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie to try to finish Leeds off and with 14 minutes left the switch paid off as the Spaniard sent Bendtner away down the right and his wonderful curling cross was headed in by Van Persie at the far post.
  • 3

    rail-transportrailwaystransportA movable section of railroad track which allows the train to be directed down one of two destination tracks; (set of) points.

  • 4

    A long, slender woody plant stem or a flexible, thin rod used as a whip to administer corporal punishment in the United States.

    • Their mother would walk out into the yard and cut a switch from a tree and beat him—beat him, it seemed to Florence, until any other boy would have fallen down dead; […]
    • "A proper switch is a slim, flexible branch off a tree or a bush. A switch applied to the buttocks stings fiercely. It may leave red marks or bruises, but it causes no lasting damage.."
  • 5

    entertainmentlifestylemusicSynonym of rute.

  • 6

    computercomputingengineeringA command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior.

    • Use the /b switch to specify black-and-white printing.
  • 7

    computingengineeringmathematicsA programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression.

  • 8

    computingengineeringmathematicsA networking device connecting multiple wires, allowing them to communicate simultaneously, when possible. Compare to the less efficient hub device that solely duplicates network packets to each wire.

另外 9 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    communicationselectrical-engineeringengineeringA system of specialized relays, computer hardware, or other equipment which allows the interconnection of a calling party's telephone line with any called party's line.

  • 10

    biologygeneticsmedicineA mechanism within DNA that activates or deactivates a gene.

  • 11

    BDSMlifestylesexualityOne who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship.

    • Ideally, if one of your ladies happens to be a switch (or would be willing to switch for this scene), I would love to be able to inflict a little "revenge tickling" as well, as part of a scenario.
  • 12

    historicalA separate mass or tress of hair, or of some substance (such as jute) made to resemble hair, formerly worn on the head by women.

  • 13

    card-gamesgamesA variant of crazy eights where one card, such as an ace, reverses the direction of play.

  • 14

    slangengineeringfirearmsgovernmentSynonym of Glock switch.

  • 15

    slangengineeringfirearmsgovernmentSynonym of Glock switch.

    • The way that switch brrt, I know he dyin' (Oh my, oh my God). 6-7, I just bipped right on the highway (Bip, bip).
  • 16

    hobbieslifestylesportsA play in which the ball (or equivalent) is moved from one side of the playing area to the other.

    • Once a sign of surrender and lead protection, the backwards kick plays a role in one of the most enterprising, enjoyable phases of the modern game: the switch. In an era where zones, presses, zone-presses and floods are ever present, the switch breaks through these tactical innovations like a hot knife through butter.
  • 17

    The process of the currently fronting headmate changing; an instance of this.

    • Switches only happen once every couple weeks for us, but they're quite sudden when they happen.

switchverb/swɪt͡ʃ/

  • 1

    To exchange.

    • I want to switch this red dress for a green one.
    • A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays.
  • 2

    To change (something) to the specified state using a switch.

    • Switch the light on.
    • When switched on, air brakes activate car by car, from the locomotive to the back of the train.
  • 3

    To whip or hit with a switch.

    • They were looking on the ground, absorbed in thought. The manager was switching his leg with a slender twig: his sagacious relative lifted his head.
  • 4

    To change places, tasks, etc.

    • I want to switch to a different seat.
  • 5

    slangTo get angry suddenly; to quickly or unreasonably become enraged.

  • 6

    To swing or whisk.

    • to switch a cane
  • 7

    To be swung or whisked.

    • The angry cat's tail switched back and forth.
  • 8

    To trim.

    • Switch and clip thorn and other deciduous hedges.
另外 4 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; generally with off, from, etc.

    • to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another
    • There was also public praise in the days that followed for the train's driver, Andrew Johnson. It took a cool head to co-ordinate with the signaller at York ROC to have the train switched from fast to slow line, to permit the stop in Huntingdon station.
  • 10

    ecclesiasticallifestylereligionTo shift to another circuit.

  • 11

    To take on the opposite role (leader vs. follower) in a partner dance.

    • Feel free to ask her to follow, lead, or switch!
  • 12

    hobbieslifestylesportsTo move (the ball or equivalent) from one side of the playing area to the other.

    • After they switched the ball across their back half, Hurley found the hard-running Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who in turn hit up Stewart. Then the big man produced a moment of inspiration, taking on his defender before chipping the ball to Daniher, who goaled.

switchadj/swɪt͡ʃ/

  • 1

    hobbieslifestylesnowboardingPertaining to riding with the front and back feet swapped round compared to one's normal position.

  • 2

    Pertaining to skiing backwards.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。