From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishalternateal‧ter‧nate1 /ɔːlˈtɜːnət $ ˈɒːltər-, ˈæl-/ ●○○ AWL adjective [usually before noun] 1 REGULARif something happens on alternate days, weeks etc, it happens on one day etc and not the next, and continues in this pattern → every otheralternate Mondays/weekends etc The service runs on alternate days.RegisterIn everyday English, instead of alternate days/Fridays/weeks etc, people usually use the phrase every other day/Friday/week etc: We meet on alternate Saturdays. → We meet every other Saturday. 2 SERIEStwo alternate things are placed one after the other in a regular pattern alternate blue and red stripes Arrange the leeks and noodles in alternate layers.3 DIFFERENTused to replace another thing of the same type SYN alternative the appointment of an alternate director
Examples from the Corpus
alternate• Rules incorporate more traditional expertise in handling situations like bumping and alternate carrier vouchers.• Italian cities have imposed alternate-day driving rules in an effort to reduce pollution.• He works alternate days.• This pattern of alternate feeding and resting is characteristic of all grazing animals.• Stretch up alternate hands - even higher than yesterday!• an alternate juror• an alternate method of payment• Lethal injection is a means of execution in 32 states, some of which use alternate methods as well.• Also, an alternate needle pattern produces beautiful mash lace very easily.• He worked alternate night and day shifts.• It solaced him to know that he had an alternate plan if things went awry.• Also, unions are free to waive daily overtime requirements and negotiate alternate schedules, such as those providing four 10-hour days.• In two cases where father and son were both working shifts they had arranged alternate shifts thus allowing uninterrupted farm work.• The walls were painted with alternate stripes of yellow and green.• She visits her parents on alternate Sundays.alternate layers• Method: Place leeks and noodles in alternate layers in casserole dish.• Pack claw and body meat in alternate layers in small fire-proof pots.alternateal‧ter‧nate2 /ˈɔːltəneɪt $ ˈɒːltər-, ˈæl-/ ●○○ AWL verb [intransitive, transitive] SHAREif two things alternate, or if you alternate them, they happen one after the other in a repeated patternalternate between She alternated between outrage and sympathy.alternate with Periods of depression alternate with excited behavior.alternate something and/with something Twist your body, alternating right and left stretches. —alternation /ˌɔːltəˈneɪʃən $ ˌɒːltər-, ˌæl-/ noun [countable, uncountable]→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
alternate• Leroy alternated aerobic exercises with weight training to improve his stamina.• Over the past weeks, Milosevic has alternated between repression and reconciliation, and this week was no exception.• The guide explained the situation, alternating between Spanish and German.• We could simply alternate between the two algorithms and catch the suspect either way.• His mother would alternate inexplicably between kindness and cruelty.• All day Saturday, tensions ran high as the president alternated intense cabinet meetings with bouts of seclusion.• The class has two teachers who alternate on a weekly basis.• You'll have to alternate. One of you can use the room in the mornings, and the other in the evenings.• Herwig and saxist Henderson played as a harmonizing duo, then split to alternate solos.• I alternate the direction of these strokes, imitating the direction I use to apply the pastel in the first place.• When putting the ring together I alternate the segments marked face up then plain face up to create a balanced pattern.• He has periods of depression, which alternate with frenzied activity.alternate between• Her emotions alternated between outrage and sympathy.Origin alternate1 (1500-1600) Latin past participle of alternare “to alternate”, from alternus “alternate”, from alter; → ALTER 