n. someone who takes the place of another person

v. do something in turns; "We take turns on the night shift"

v. go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions

v. be an understudy or alternate for a role

v. exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions

adj. occurring by turns; first one and then the other; "alternating feelings of love and hate"

adj. every second one of a series; "the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays"; "jam every other day"- the White Queen

adj. recurring every other day; i.e. every third day when considered inclusively: "a tertian fever"

adj. of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired; "stems with alternate leaves"

adj. serving or used in place of another; "an alternative plan"