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   Al·ter·nate

   verb

   • 1. occur in turn repeatedly: "bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation" Similar be interspersedfollow one anotherbe staggeredtake turnstake it in turnswork/act in sequenceoccur in turnoccur in rotationrotateoscillatesee-sawyo-yochop and changefluctuate
   • ▪ do or perform in turn repeatedly: "some adults who wish to alternate work with education" Similar give turns totake in turnrotatetake in rotationinterspersestaggerswapexchangeinterchangeswitchvary
   • ▪ change repeatedly between two contrasting conditions: "the stock market has alternated between positive and negative finishes through the last four trading days"

   adjective

   • 1. every other; every second: "she was asked to attend on alternate days" Similar every otherevery second
   • ▪ (of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular pattern: "alternate bouts of intense labor and of idleness" Similar alternatingin rotationrotatingoccurring in turnsinterchangingfollowing in sequencesequential
   • ▪ (of leaves or shoots) placed alternately on the two sides of the stem.
   • 2. taking the place of; alternative: North American "the rerouted traffic takes a variety of alternate routes" Similar alternativeotheranotherseconddifferentpossiblesubstitutereplacementdeputyreliefproxysurrogatecoverfill-instand-instandbyemergencyreservebackupauxiliaryfallbackinformal:pinch-hitting

   noun

   • 1. a person who acts as a deputy or substitute: North American "he shall be entitled to exercise the vote of the director for whom he is an alternate"

   Word Origin early 16th century (earlier (late Middle English) as alternation): from Latin alternat- ‘done by turns’, from alternare, from alternus ‘every other’, from alter ‘other’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

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