switch1 /swɪtʃ/ ●●● S2 W3 verb 1 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER to change from doing or using one thing to doing or using another 转换,转变,改变switch to She worked as a librarian before switching to journalism. 她在转行从事新闻工作前是图书馆管理员。
switch from something to something Duval could switch easily from French to English. 杜瓦尔可以在法语和英语之间自如切换。
switch between something and something He switches between TV and theatre work. 他的工作在电视业和戏剧界之间不断变换。
The terrorists will switch tactics. 恐怖分子会改变战术。
switch sides/allegiance (=start supporting a different person, party etc) 转换立场/改变拥戴对象 He switched sides just days before the election. 就在竞选的前几天他改变了立场。
switch attention/focus/emphasis We want to switch focus away from criticism. 我们想把重点从批评上转移开。
2 [transitiveT]REPLACE to replace one thing with another, or exchange things 交换;调换;转换 SYN changeswitch something for something Tim may switch his BMW for something else. 蒂姆可能会把他的宝马车换成别的什么车。
switch something from something to something We’ve switched the meeting from Tuesday to Thursday. 我们把会议从周二改到了周四。
switch something around It’s not easy to switch clerical workers around. 想调换办公室工作人员并不容易。
3 [intransitiveI, transitiveT] American EnglishAmE if you switch with someone who does the same job as you, you exchange your working times with theirs for a short time 〔与同事〕调换上班时间,调(班) SYN swapswitch with Tom said he’d switch with me on Saturday. 汤姆说他周六会和我调班。
He asked if we could switch shifts. 他问我们是否可以调班。
4 [transitiveT always + adverbadv/prepositionprep] to change the way a machine operates, using a switch 〔用开关〕改变〔机器的运转〕,转换switch something to something Switch the freezer to ‘defrost’. 把冷冻柜调到“除霜”模式。
5 switch off phrasal verbphr v a) SWITCH ON OR OFFto turn off a machine, light, radio etc using a switch 〔用开关〕关掉,关上switch something ↔ off The burglar alarm was switched off. 防盗警报器被关上了。
Don’t forget to switch off before you go. 离开之前别忘记关掉开关。
b) informalATTENTION# to stop listening to someone 不再听;不加理睬[注意] He just switches off and ignores me. 他就是不听,不理我。
c) to relax for a short time 〔短暂地〕放松 Switch off by listening to music. 听听音乐放松一下。
6 switch on phrasal verbphr v SWITCH ON OR OFFto turn on a machine, light, radio etc using a switch 〔用开关〕开,打开switch something ↔ on He switched the torch on. 他打开了手电筒。
5 When a tape is put in the VCR, it switches on automatically .录像带放进录像机后,它会自动播放。
n The lights
switch on automatically when it gets dark.
7 switch over phrasal verbphr v a) to change from one method, product etc to another 改变,转变〔方法、产品等〕 to We’ve switched over to telephone banking. 我们已经改用电话银行服务了。
b) to change the television channel you are watching or the radio station you are listening to 转换〔电视频道或电台〕 to Switch over to BBC 2. 换到英国广播公司二台。
switch to• To see what you've taken, switch over to play and browse through your images. switch to• To see what you've taken, switch over to play and browse through your images.
n COLLOCATIONSnounsswitch sides (=start supporting someone or something else)Three senators switched sides and voted for the ban.
switch (your) allegiance (=start supporting someone else)Most of his supporters had switched their allegiance to his rival.
switch channels (=start watching a different TV channel)Rod switched channels with the remote control.
switch tacticsSensing that his victim was going to escape him, he switched tactics.
switch your attention/focus to somethingLaura wasn't interested so he switched his attention to Tessa.
switch brands46% of consumers surveyed were likely to switch brands to support companies they saw as socially responsible,
the emphasis switches/is switched to somethingThe emphasis has switched to defence.