whipsaw

[ hwip-saw, wip- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a saw for two persons, as a pitsaw, used to divide timbers lengthwise.

verb (used with object)

whipsawed, whipsawed or whipsawn, whipsawing.

to cut with a whipsaw.
to win two bets from (a person) at one turn or play, as at faro.
to subject to two opposing forces at the same time:
The real-estate market has been whipsawed by high interest rates and unemployment.

verb (used without object)

whipsawed, whipsawed or whipsawn, whipsawing.

(of a trailer, railroad car, etc.) to swing suddenly to the right or left, as in rounding a sharp curve at high speed.

whipsaw

/ ˈ��ɪ��ˌ��ɔː /

noun

any saw with a flexible blade, such as a bandsaw

verb

to saw with a whipsaw
to defeat in two ways at once

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Word History and Origins

Origin of whipsaw¹

First recorded in 1530–40; whip + saw ¹

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The truth is, no one knows anything about any activity of the time, but people are pointing out the opportunity for sharp practice embodied in the whipsawing tariff policies emitting from the White House.

From

�� each of us sees when we look at him — a dangerous whipsaw of insane rhetoric and diabolic intent or a canny businessman who just wants what’s best for Americans — increasingly defines us.

From

Disputes over the so-called Waters of the United States rule have been long argued in the courts and have brought whipsawing shifts with changes of administrations in recent years.

From

The inevitable mix of writing styles — Zehme’s bodacious, Thomas’ straightforward — contributes an additional whipsaw effect.

From

And on a structural level, the storytelling of “IF” itself is a mess: a heartfelt but dramatically inert endeavor that whipsaws between tones ranging from whimsical to morose.

From

whips whipsawed

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