Word Direct Answers

What does "alternate" mean?

Alternate: Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second; as, the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. ; read every alternate line.

Additional senses

  1. 2.(Bot.) Distributed, as leaves, singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence. Gray. Alternate alligation. See Alligation. -- Alternate angles (Geom.), the internal and angles made by two lines with a third, on opposite sides of it. It the parallels AB, CD, are cut by the line EF, the angles AGH, GHD, as also the angles BGH and GHC, are called alternate angles. -- Alternate generation. (Biol.) See under Generation.
  2. 3.That which alternates with something else; vicissitude. [R.] Grateful alternates of substantial. Prior.
  3. 4.A substitute; one designated to take the place of another, if necessary, in performing some duty.
  4. 5.(Math.) A proportion derived from another proportion by interchanging the means.
  5. 6.To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly. The most high God, in all things appertaining unto this life, for sundry wise ends alternates the disposition of good and evil. Grew.
  6. 7.To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; -- followed by with; as, the flood and ebb tides alternate with each other. Rage, shame, and grief alternate in his breast. J. Philips. Different species alternating with each other. Kirwan.
  7. 8.To vary by turns; as, the land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.

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