verb
[no obj.]occur in turn repeatedly
交替
bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation.
经济繁荣期和萧条期的交替出现。
[as adj. alternating]a season of alternating hot days and cool nights.
白天热晚上凉的季节。
■[with obj.]do or perform in turn repeatedly
轮流做
some adults who wish to alternate work with education.
一些希望能把工作和学习轮流进行的成年人。
■(of a thing) change repeatedly between two contrasting conditions
（事物）轮流，更替
the government alternated between the Labour and Conservative parties.
政府在工党和保守党之间轮流更替。
adjective
[attrib.]
every other; every second
间隔的；每隔一个的
she was asked to attend on alternate days.
她被要求隔天出席。
■(of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular pattern
（两者）交替的，轮流的
alternate bouts of intense labour and of idleness.
一会儿高强度劳动，一会儿又无所事事。
■(of a sequence) consisting of alternate items
（序列）交替出现的
■(Botany)(of leaves or shoots) placed alternately on the two sides of the stem
(植)（叶，芽）互生的
(chiefly N. Amer.). another term for alternative
(主 北美)。 同 alternative
a novel set in an alternate universe.
一部以另一空间为背景的小说。
noun
(N. Amer.)a person who acts as a deputy or substitute
(北美)替身，替代品

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派生
alternately
adverb
alternation
noun

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语源
early 16th cent.: from Latin alternat- 'done by turns', from alternare, from alternus 'every other', from alter 'other'

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用法
On the use of the adjectives alternate and alternative, see usage at alternative