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Adjective: alternating  'ol-tur,ney-ting [N. Amer], 'ol-tu(r),ney-ting or 'ól-tu(r),ney-ting [Brit]
  1. Occurring by turns; first one and then the other
    "alternating feelings of love and hate";
    - alternate
     
  2. (of a current) reversing direction
    "alternating current"
Verb: alternate  'ol-tur-nut [N. Amer], ol'tur-nut or ól'tur-nut [Brit]
  1. Do something in turns
    "We alternate on the night shift";
    - take turns
     
  2. Go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
    "His mood alternated between joy and despair";
    - jump
     
  3. Exchange people temporarily to fulfil certain jobs and functions
    "The two departments alternated staff members during the busy season"
     
  4. Be an understudy or alternate for a role
    "She alternated the lead actress in case of illness";
    - understudy

See also: cyclic, cyclical

Type of: act, alter, change, con [archaic], exchange, learn, memorise [Brit], memorize, move, vary

Antonym: direct

Encyclopedia: Alternating

Alternate