■ verb
1》 make or become different.
↘(of the moon) arrive at a fresh phase; become new.
2》 take or use another instead of: she decided to ~ her name.
↘move from one to (another).
↘( ~ over ) move from one system or situation to another.
↘remove (something dirty or faulty) and replace it with another of the same kind.
↘engage (a different gear) in a motor vehicle.
↘( ~ down or up ) Brit. engage a lower (or higher) gear in a vehicle or on a bicycle.
3》 put different clothes on.
4》 ex~ (a sum of money) for the same sum in a different currency or denomination.
■ noun
1》 the action of changing.
↘an instance of becoming different.
↘( the ~ or the ~ of life ) informal the menopause.
2》 a clean garment or garments as a replacement for something one is wearing.
3》 coins as opposed to banknotes.
↘money given in ex~ for the same sum in larger units.
↘money returned to someone as the balance of the sum paid.
4》 an order in which a peal of bells can be rung.
Phrases
~ colour blanch or flush.
~ hands (of a business or building) pass to a different owner.
↘(of money or a marketable commodity) pass to another person in the course of a business transaction.
a ~ of air a different climate, typically as a means of improving one's health.
~ step alter one's step so that the opposite leg is the one that marks time when marching.
~ one's tune express a very different opinion or behave in a very different way.
for a ~ contrary to how things usually happen or in order to introduce variety.
get no ~ out of Brit. informal fail to get information or a desired reaction from.
ring the ~s vary the ways of doing something. [with allusion to the different orders in which a peal of bells may be rung.]
Derivatives
~ful adjective
~less adjective
~lessly adverb
~lessness noun
~r noun
Origin
ME: from OFr. ~ (n.), ~r (v.), from late L. cambiare , from L. cambire 'barter'.