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asleep at the switch

a·sleep at the switch
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [uh-sleep at stressed th ee swich]
    • /əˈslip æt stressed ði swɪtʃ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [uh-sleep at stressed th ee swich]
    • /əˈslip æt stressed ði swɪtʃ/

Definitions of asleep at the switch words

  • noun asleep at the switch a slender, flexible shoot, rod, etc., used especially in whipping or disciplining. 1
  • noun asleep at the switch an act of whipping or beating with or as with such an object; a stroke, lash, or whisking movement. 1
  • noun asleep at the switch a slender growing shoot, as of a plant. 1
  • noun asleep at the switch a hairpiece consisting of a bunch or tress of long hair or some substitute, fastened together at one end and worn by women to supplement their own hair. 1
  • noun asleep at the switch Electricity. a device for turning on or off or directing an electric current or for making or breaking a circuit. 1
  • noun asleep at the switch Railroads. a track structure for diverting moving trains or rolling stock from one track to another, commonly consisting of a pair of movable rails. 1
See all 27 definitions of asleep at the switch

Information block about the term

Origin of asleep at the switch

First appearance:

before 1585
One of the 35% oldest English words
1585-95; earlier swits, switz slender riding whip, flexible stick; compare Low German (Hanoverian) schwutsche long, thin stick

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Asleep at the switch

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Asleep at the switch

asleep at the switch popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 95% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

asleep at the switch usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for asleep at the switch

adj asleep at the switch

  • inattentive — not attentive; negligent.
  • reckless — utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; without caution; careless (usually followed by of): to be reckless of danger.
  • feckless — ineffective; incompetent; futile: feckless attempts to repair the plumbing.
  • foolhardy — recklessly or thoughtlessly bold; foolishly rash or venturesome.

adv asleep at the switch

  • asleep — Someone who is asleep is sleeping.
  • derelict — A place or building that is derelict is empty and in a bad state of repair because it has not been used or lived in for a long time.
  • unguarded — not guarded; unprotected; undefended.
  • unprepared — properly expectant, organized, or equipped; ready: prepared for a hurricane.
  • flat-footed — having flatfeet.
All 33 Synonyms of asleep at the switch

Antonyms for asleep at the switch

adj asleep at the switch

  • careful — If you are careful, you give serious attention to what you are doing, in order to avoid harm, damage, or mistakes. If you are careful to do something, you make sure that you do it.
  • cautious — Someone who is cautious acts very carefully in order to avoid possible danger.
  • heedful — taking heed; attentive; mindful; thoughtful; careful: She was always heedful of others' needs.
  • observant — quick to notice or perceive; alert.
  • attentive — If you are attentive, you are paying close attention to what is being said or done.
All 8 Antonyms of asleep at the switch

See also

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