switch on/off
Meaning: To start/stop a machine or light by pressing a switch. Examples: “Switch on the computer.” “Don’t forget to switch off the lights.”
turn on/off
Meaning: To start/stop a machine or light by turning a knob. Examples: “Turn on the television.” “Turn off the tap.”
power up/down
Meaning: To start/shut down a computer or machine. Examples: “Power up the generator.” “Remember to power down at the end of the day.”
boot up
Meaning: To start a computer. Examples: “Wait for the system to boot up.” “My computer takes ages to boot up.”
shut down
Meaning: To close all programs and turn off a computer. Examples: “Shut down your computer before you leave.” “The system is shutting down.”
log in/on
Meaning: To enter a computer system. Examples: “Log in with your username.” “I logged on to check my emails.”
log off/out
Meaning: To exit a computer system. Examples: “Don’t forget to log off.” “She logged out of her account.”
sign in/out
Meaning: To record your arrival/departure; to enter/exit a website. Examples: “Sign in with your email.” “You need to sign out when you leave.”
click on
Meaning: To select something on screen. Examples: “Click on the link to continue.” “Just click on the icon.”
double-click on
Meaning: To click twice quickly. Examples: “Double-click on the file to open it.” “Double-click on the application icon.”
right-click on
Meaning: To click with the right mouse button. Examples: “Right-click on the desktop for options.” “Right-click on the image to save it.”
drag and drop
Meaning: To move something on screen by dragging. Examples: “You can drag and drop files into folders.” “Just drag and drop the photo here.”
scroll up/down/through
Meaning: To move through content on screen. Examples: “Scroll down to read more.” “Scroll through the list.”
zoom in/out
Meaning: To make something appear larger/smaller on screen. Examples: “Zoom in on the map to see details.” “Zoom out to see the whole picture.”
pan across
Meaning: To move the view across a wide area. Examples: “The camera panned across the crowd.” “You can pan across the image.”
pull down
Meaning: To access a menu by pulling down. Examples: “Pull down the menu from the top.” “Pull down the notification bar.”
pop up
Meaning: To appear suddenly on screen. Examples: “An error message popped up.” “Pop-up ads are annoying.”
block out
Meaning: To prevent something from being seen or heard. Examples: “Block out the sun with curtains.” “Software to block out pop-up ads.”
filter out
Meaning: To remove unwanted material. Examples: “The software filters out spam emails.” “Sunglasses filter out UV rays.”
screen out
Meaning: To prevent something unwanted from entering. Examples: “Application forms screen out unsuitable candidates.” “The mesh screens out insects.”
weed out
Meaning: To remove unwanted things or people. Examples: “The tests weed out weaker students.” “We need to weed out errors.”
iron out
Meaning: To remove small problems or difficulties. Examples: “We need to iron out the bugs in the software.” “They ironed out their differences.”
smooth out
Meaning: To make something flat or even; to remove problems. Examples: “Smooth out the creases in the fabric.” “They smoothed out the technical issues.”
flatten out
Meaning: To become level after rising or falling. Examples: “The curve flattens out at the top.” “Prices have flattened out.”
