rotate
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to cause to turn around an axis or center point; revolve.
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to cause to go through a cycle of changes; cause to pass or follow in a fixed routine of succession.
to rotate farm crops.
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to replace (a person, troops, etc.) by another or others, usually according to a schedule or plan.
verb (used without object)
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to turn around on or as if on an axis.
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to proceed in a fixed routine of succession.
The sentries rotated in keeping watch.
adjective
verb
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to turn or cause to turn around an axis, line, or point; revolve or spin
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to follow or cause to follow a set order or sequence
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(of a position, presidency, etc) to pass in turn from one eligible party to each of the other eligible parties
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(of staff) to replace or be replaced in turn
adjective
Related Words
See turn.
Other Word Forms
- nonrotatable adjective
- nonrotating adjective
- rotatable adjective
- rotatably adverb
- unrotated adjective
- unrotating adjective
Etymology
Origin of rotate1
First recorded in 1800–10; from Latin rotātus (past participle of rotāre “to cause to spin, roll, move in a circle”), equivalent to rot(a) “wheel” + -ātus -ate 1
Origin of rotate2
1775–85; < Latin rot ( a ) wheel + -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Arsenal's players rotate positions to make it difficult for opponents to pick them up.
From BBC
“Investors are rotating to the margin of safety in businesses with a book value and cash return,” he adds.
From Barron's
“Investors have rotated away from previously dominant winners into other sectors and, in some cases, away from U.S. equities altogether.”
From Barron's
But after AI advances drove up valuations in various sectors, the threat of disruption is an excuse to take profit and rotate to other areas of the market.
From Barron's
In this case, the researchers slightly rotated two stacked bilayers of chromium iodide relative to one another.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
