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Definition of Alternate in English :

Define Alternate in English

Alternate meaning in English

Meaning of Alternate in English

Pronunciation of Alternate in English

Alternate pronunciation in English

Pronounce Alternate in English

Alternate

see synonyms of alternate

Noun

1. alternate, replacement, surrogate

someone who takes the place of another person

Verb

2. alternate, jump

go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions

3. alternate

exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions

4. alternate, understudy

be an understudy or alternate for a role

5. alternate, flip, flip-flop, interchange, switch, tack

reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)

6. alternate, take turns

do something in turns

Example Sentences:
'We take turns on the night shift'

Adjective

7. alternate

every second one of a series

Example Sentences:
'the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays'
'jam every other day'

8. alternate, alternative, substitute

serving or used in place of another

Example Sentences:
'an alternative plan'

9. alternate, alternating

occurring by turns; first one and then the other

Example Sentences:
'alternating feelings of love and hate'

10. alternate

of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired

Example Sentences:
'stems with alternate leaves'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Alternate

see synonyms of alternate
verb (ˈɔːltəˌneɪt )
1. (often foll by with)
to occur or cause to occur successively or by turns
day and night alternate
2. (intransitive; often foll by between)
to swing repeatedly from one condition, action, etc, to another
he alternates between success and failure
3. (transitive)
to interchange regularly or in succession
4. (intransitive)
(of an electric current, voltage, etc) to reverse direction or sign at regular intervals, usually sinusoidally, the instantaneous value varying continuously
5. (intransitive; often foll by for) theatre
to understudy another actor or actress
adjective (ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt )
6. 
occurring by turns
alternate feelings of love and hate
7. 
every other or second one of a series
he came to work on alternate days
8. 
being a second or further choice; alternative
alternate director
9. botany
a. 
(of leaves, flowers, etc) arranged singly at different heights on either side of the stem
b. 
(of parts of a flower) arranged opposite the spaces between other parts
Compare opposite (sense 4)
noun (ˈɔːltənɪt , ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt )
10. US and Canadian
a person who substitutes for another in his or her absence; stand-in

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Alternate

see synonyms of alternate
adjective
1. 
occurring by turns; succeeding each other; one and then the other
alternate stripes of blue and white
2. 
every other; every second
to report on alternate Tuesdays
3. 
being one of two or more choices; alternative
4.  Botany
a. 
growing along the stem singly at different intervals, first on one side then the other, etc.
b. 
placed at intervals between other parts, as in a flower
noun
5. 
a person standing by to take the place of another if necessary; substitute
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈalterˌnated or ˈalterˌnating
6. 
to do or use by turns
7. 
to make happen or arrange by turns
verb intransitive
8. 
to act, happen, etc. by turns; follow successively
good times alternate with bad
9. 
to take turns
10. 
to exchange places, etc. regularly
11.  Electricity
to reverse direction periodically
said of a current

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Alternate

see synonyms of alternate
v. al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing, al·ter·nates
v.intr.
1.
a. To occur in a successive manner: day alternating with night.
b. To act or proceed by turns: The students alternated at the computer.
2. To pass back and forth from one state, action, or place to another: alternated between happiness and depression.
3. Electricity To reverse direction at regular intervals in a circuit.
v.tr.
1. To do or execute by turns.
2. To cause to alternate: alternated light and dark squares to form a pattern.
adj. (-nĭt)
1. Happening or following in turns; succeeding each other continuously: alternate seasons of the year.
2. Designating or relating to every other one of a series: alternate lines.
3. Serving or used in place of another; substitute: an alternate plan. See Usage Note at alternative.
4. Botany
a. Arranged singly at each node, as leaves or buds on different sides of a stem.
b. Arranged regularly between other parts, as stamens between petals.
n. (-nĭt)
1. A person acting in the place of another; a substitute.
2. An alternative.

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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