switchboard

[swich-bawrd, -bohrd]

noun

Electricity.

1. a structural unit on which are mounted switches and instruments necessary to complete telephone circuits manually.

2. Also called lightboard. a panel of switches, dimmers, etc., for controlling the lighting on a stage or in an auditorium.

switchboard

/ ˈswɪtʃˌbɔːd /

noun

1. an installation in a telephone exchange, office, hotel, etc, at which the interconnection of telephone lines is manually controlled

2. an assembly of switchgear for the control of power supplies in an installation or building

Word History and Origins

Origin of switchboard¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; switch + board

Example Sentences

A 20-minute call to the switchboard led to a report back from the NHS trust's communications manager to Operation Grange, the British investigation into the disappearance.

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I’m used to being a switchboard of sorts — as a journalist, inevitably, word travels to and through me.

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Not until last week, after angry hometown voters flooded their switchboards, did the party’s congressional leaders scramble to get in front of their base.

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Although the number was bogus, Paul encountered the court's genuine automated switchboard message - which the criminals had duplicated to make the scam more convincing.

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They show us the torture room used by Assad's forces – including a metal pole to secure prisoners' feet for beating, and a set of wires next to an electrical switchboard.

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Related Words

• command post 
• focal point 
• headquarters 
• hotbed 

When To Use

What is a switchboard?

A switchboard is a device used to connect telephone calls.Switchboards, which are now largely obsolete, consisted of a board of circuits and switches that needed to be manually adjusted for calls to be connected. The person who operated this kind of switchboard was called an operator or a switchboard operator.Switchboards were used in telephone exchanges as well as places that had their own internal phone systems, such as offices and hotels.In all of these settings, switchboards have been largely replaced with more advanced technology that does not require the manual connection of circuits. However, some devices might still be referred to as switchboards because they perform the same functions, just in automated ways.Sometimes, the word switchboard was used as a way of referring to the place or people who operated the switchboard, as in Call the switchboard and have them connect you. It can still be used in this way even though such switchboards are no longer in common use.The word switchboard can also refer to the control panel used to control lighting, such as on a stage or in an auditorium. This can also be called a lightboard.It can also refer to an electrical device used to control the power supply in a building.Example: My grandmother always tells me stories about how she worked as an operator and routed calls all over the world using the switchboard.