| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024al•ter•nate /verb ˈɔltɚˌneɪt, ˈæl-; adjective, noun -nɪt/USA pronunciation v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing, adj., n. v. - to interchange regularly with one another in time or place: [~ + with + object]Day alternates with night.[~ + object]They alternated hot and cold compresses on the injury.
- [~ + between + object] to change back and forth between states, actions, etc.: He alternates between hope and despair.
- to take turns: [~ + in + object]The children alternate in doing chores.[~ + object]The children alternate chores.
adj. [before a noun] - interchanged repeatedly one for another:alternate periods of clouds and sun.
- every second one of a series:Read only the alternate lines.
- alternative (def. 4): Do you have an alternate plan?
n. [countable] - a person authorized to take the place of another:I sent my alternate to the meeting.
al•ter•nate•ly /ˈɔltɚnɪtli, ˈæl-/USA pronunciation adv. al•ter•na•tion /ˌɔltɚˈneɪʃən, ˌæl-/USA pronunciation n. [countable* uncountable]See -alte-. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024al•ter•nate (v. ôl′tər nāt′, al′-;adj., n. ôl′tər nit, al′-),USA pronunciation v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing, adj., n. v.i. - to interchange repeatedly and regularly with one another in time or place;
rotate (usually fol. by with):Day alternates with night. - to change back and forth between conditions, states, actions, etc.:He alternates between hope and despair.
- to take turns:My sister and I alternated in doing the dishes.
- Electricityto reverse direction or sign periodically.
- Linguisticsto occur as a variant in alternation with another form.
v.t. - to perform or do in succession or one after another:to alternate comedy acts; to alternate jogging and walking.
- to interchange successively or regularly:to alternate hot and cold compresses.
adj. - being in a constant state of succession or rotation;
interchanged repeatedly one for another:Winter and summer are alternate seasons. - reciprocal;
mutual:alternate acts of kindness. - every second one of a series:Read only the alternate lines.
- constituting an alternative:The alternate route is more scenic.
- alternative (defs. 4, 6).
- [Bot.]
- Botanyplaced singly at different heights on the axis, on each side in succession, or at definite angular distances from one another, as leaves.
- Botanyopposite to the intervals between other organs:petals alternate with sepals.
n. - a person authorized to fill the position, exercise the duties, etc., of another who is temporarily absent;
substitute. - Show Business[Theat.]
- either of two actors who take turns playing the same role.
- an understudy.
- alternative.
- Latin alternātus (past participle of alternāre). See altern, -ate1
- 1505–15
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: alternate vb /ˈɔːltəˌneɪt/- (often followed by with) to occur or cause to occur successively or by turns: day and night alternate
- (intransitive) often followed by between: to swing repeatedly from one condition, action, etc, to another
- (transitive) to interchange regularly or in succession
- (intransitive) (of an electric current, voltage, etc) to reverse direction or sign at regular intervals, usually sinusoidally, the instantaneous value varying continuously
adj /ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt/- occurring by turns: alternate feelings of love and hate
- every other or second one of a series: he came to work on alternate days
- (of leaves, flowers, etc) arranged singly at different heights on either side of the stem
n /ˈɔːltənɪt; ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt/- US Canadian a person who substitutes for another in his absence; stand-in
Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin alternāre to do one thing and then another, from alternus one after the other, from alter other |