toggle

[ tog-uhl ]

noun

1. a pin, bolt, or rod placed transversely through a chain, an eye or loop in a rope, etc., as to bind it temporarily to another chain or rope similarly treated.
2. a toggle joint, or a device having one.
3. an ornamental, rod-shaped button for inserting into a large buttonhole, loop, or frog, used especially on sports clothes.
4. Theater.
   1. Also called toggle rail. a wooden batten across the width of a flat, for strengthening the frame.
   2. Also called toggle iron. a metal device for fastening a toggle rail to a frame.

verb (used with object)

, tog·gled, tog·gling.

1. to furnish with a toggle.
2. to bind or fasten with a toggle.
3. Informal. to turn, twist, or manipulate a toggle switch; dial or turn the switch of (an appliance):

   He toggled the TV between the baseball game and the news.

toggle

/ ˈtɒɡəl /

noun

1. a wooden peg or metal rod fixed crosswise through an eye at the end of a rope, chain, or cable, for fastening temporarily by insertion through an eye in another rope, chain, etc
2. a wooden or plastic bar-shaped button inserted through a loop for fastening
3. a pin inserted into a nautical knot to keep it secure
4. machinery a toggle joint or a device having such a joint

verb

1. tr to supply or fasten with a toggle or toggles
2. computing intr,often foll bybetween to switch to a different option, view, application, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈtoggler, noun

Other Words From

• toggler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toggle¹

First recorded in 1760–70; perhaps variant of tackle

Word History and Origins

Origin of toggle¹

C18: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Under pressure to be more transparent, the company added a digital “toggle” switch allowing customers to initially see either a basic daily rate or a total showing how much those secondary fees would add to the daily rate.

From Los Angeles Times

They may toggle between rehearsal footage of Driver and Woodley and the final filmed version of the same scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Under pressure to be more transparent, the company added a digital “toggle” switch allowing customers to initially see either a basic daily rate or a total showing how much those secondary fees would add to the daily rate.

From Los Angeles Times

"When patients succumb to COVID, for example, that's often a product of inflammation. This makes our findings really exciting, because we've found a new way to potentially toggle the immune system's inflammatory pathways to improve outcomes in patients with chronic inflammation."

From Science Daily

When we look at the future of war, the winners and losers are going to be defined by who can toggle between different types of technologies the quickest.

From Salon

Related Words

• dial
• knob
• switch