A wooden pin tapering toward both ends with a groove around its middle, fixed transversely in the eye of a rope to be secured to any other loop or bight or ring; a kind of button or frog capable of being readily engaged and disengaged for temporary purposes. [1913 Webster]
Two rods or plates connected by a toggle joint. [1913 Webster]
A toggle switch. [PJC]

toggle, v. t.

To change the value of (a program variable) by activating a toggle switch; as, to toggle the view from character to graphic mode; to toggle the keyboard input from insert to overtype mode. [PJC]

Toggle iron, a harpoon with a pivoted crosspiece in a mortise near the point to prevent it from being drawn out when a whale, shark, or other animal, is harpooned. -- Toggle joint, an elbow or knee joint, consisting of two bars so connected that they may be brought quite or nearly into a straight line, and made to produce great endwise pressure, when any force is applied to bring them into this position.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

toggle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a device for fastening (esp. a garment), consisting of a crosspiece which can pass through a hole or loop in one position but not in another.
2 a pin or other crosspiece put through the eye of a rope, a link of a chain, etc., to keep it in place.
3 a pivoted barb on a harpoon.
4 Computing a switch action that is operated the same way but with opposite effect on successive occasions.
--v.tr. provide or fasten with a toggle.

Idiom

toggle joint a device for exerting pressure along two jointed rods by applying a transverse force at the joint. toggle switch an electric switch with a projecting lever to be moved usu. up and down.

Etymology

18th-c. Naut.: orig. unkn.

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THESAURUS

toggle

ankle, articulate, articulation, batten, batten down, bolt, boundary, buckle, butt, button, cervix, clasp, cleat, clinch, clip, closure, connecting link, connecting rod, connection, coupling, deck out, doll up, dovetail, dress up, elbow, embrace, fix up, gliding joint, gussy up, hasp, hinge, hinged joint, hip, hitch, hook, interface, jam, join, joining, joint, juncture, knee, knuckle, latch, link, lock, miter, mortise, nail, neck, peg, pin, pivot, pivot joint, rabbet, rivet, scarf, screw, seam, sew, shoulder, skewer, slick, smarten up, snap, spiff, spruce up, staple, stick, stitch, suture, symphysis, tack, tie rod, toggle joint, union, wedge, weld, wrist, zipper

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