switchback

C2 Topic:Transportation

US /ˈswɪtʃˌbæk/ UK /ˈswɪtʃbæk/ See IPA manual

Freq #89630

Meanings

1

noun
chiefly British, dated: a roller coaster or amusement ride with steep rises and descents

The sudden plunge felt like the first drop on a switchback.
2

noun
a railway arrangement on a steep slope in which a train reverses direction at successive switches

The mountain railway climbed by means of a switchback cut into the slope.
3

noun
a road, path, or course with a succession of sharp bends, steep climbs, and descents

The narrow switchback carried the road up the mountainside.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · chiefly british, dated: a... roller coaster

2 noun · a railway arrangement on a... zigzag railway

3 noun · a road, path, or course... zigzaghairpin course

Opposites

straightaway

Word family

Derived forms switchbacky

Related forms dogleghairpin bend

Etymology

From switch + back. The railway sense refers to switching a train onto another track so that it proceeds back in the opposite direction; the amusement-ride and winding-course senses developed from that repeated reversal.

Topics

Transportation

External links

# switchback

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈswɪtʃˌbæk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈswɪtʃbæk/
**Frequency rank:** 89630

## Meanings
1. chiefly British, dated: a roller coaster or amusement ride with steep rises and descents
2. a railway arrangement on a steep slope in which a train reverses direction at successive switches
3. a road, path, or course with a succession of sharp bends, steep climbs, and descents

## Examples
- The sudden plunge felt like the first drop on a switchback.
- The mountain railway climbed by means of a switchback cut into the slope.
- The narrow switchback carried the road up the mountainside.

## Synonyms
- roller coaster
- zigzag railway
- zigzag

## Antonyms
- straightaway

## Derived Forms
- switchbacky

## Related Forms
- dogleg
- hairpin bend

## Etymology
From switch + back. The railway sense refers to switching a train onto another track so that it proceeds back in the opposite direction; the amusement-ride and winding-course senses developed from that repeated reversal.

## Topics
- Transportation

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