switchback
Pronunciation: /ˈswɪt͡ʃbæk/
The English word “switchback” has 6 meanings listed here.
noun
- A railway track on a steep slope in a zigzag formation, in which a train travels in a reverse direction at each switch.
- A railway track on which there are steep ascents and descents, a train moving partially or fully by the force of gravity using the momentum generated when descending to travel up an ascending part of the track; especially (UK, dated), such a track built for fun rides at an amusement park; a type of rollercoaster.
- A flight path consisting of a series of steep ascents and descents, generally flown as a stunt.
- A path or road having a series of steep ascents and descents.
- A sharp bend in a path or road which causes a traveller to almost reverse their direction of travel, especially one of a series of such bends on an incline; a hairpin bend; also a path or road having such a series of bends.
verb
Etymology
The noun is derived from switch (“to turn (a train) from one railway track to another using a switch”, verb) + back (“so as to reverse direction and return”, adverb). The verb is derived from the noun.
Keep exploring: in the interactive dictionary every word of a definition is a link. Open “switchback” there
More English words
About this dictionary
The English dictionary on Glottosphere has 650,529 entries with a page. Browse the English dictionary.
Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.