alternate

(ôlˈtər-nātˌ, ălˈ-)

1. a. To occur in a successive manner: day alternating with night.
   b. To act or proceed by turns: The students alternated at the computer.
2. To pass back and forth from one state, action, or place to another: alternated between happiness and depression.
3. Electricity To reverse direction at regular intervals in a circuit.

1. To do or execute by turns.
2. To cause to alternate: alternated light and dark squares to form a pattern.

1. Happening or following in turns; succeeding each other continuously: alternate seasons of the year. See Usage Note at alternative.
2. Designating or relating to every other one of a series: alternate lines.
3. Serving or used in place of another; substitute: an alternate plan.
4. Botany
   a. Arranged singly at each node, as leaves or buds on different sides of a stem.
   b. Arranged regularly between other parts, as stamens between petals.

1. A person acting in the place of another; a substitute.
2. An alternative.

Related Forms:

• alˈter·nate·ly adverb

• alˈter·nate·ness noun