on off switch

Two-position electrical toggle

An on off switch is a control that toggles between two states—active and inactive, running and stopped.

The term describes the simplest type of switch, with just two positions: The on off switch is on the back of the device.

Figuratively, someone with an on off switch can shift abruptly between modes: He has no on off switch—he's either all in or completely checked out.

Related

click · power · binary · control · master control · light · rocker · circuit · circuit breaker · electrical · panel · knob · flick · activate · deactivate · standby · killswitch · breaker

Categories
Opposites
control mechanism type

on off switchdimmer

Light intensity regulator

dimmer switch · rheostat · slider · potentiometer · dial

state complexity

on off switchsmart switch

App-controlled electrical outlet

Family

switch, switched, switches, switching, switcher, onset, onto, offset, offing

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G