WHIPSAW

whipsaw

(verb) saw with a whipsaw

whipsaw

(verb) victimize, especially in gambling or negotiations

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

whipsaw (plural whipsaws)

a rip saw often operated by two people

Verb

whipsaw (third-person singular simple present whipsaws, present participle whipsawing, simple past whipsawed, past participle whipsawn)

To operate a whipsaw.

(transitive, finance) To cause (a trader) to lose potential profit by buying shares just before the price falls, or by selling them just before the price rises.

(transitive) To defeat someone in two different ways at once.

Of a trade union: to coerce employers into capitulating by bringing them the news that other (more easily convinced) employers have already done so.

(US politics) To accept bribes from multiple parties at once, with the intent of letting down one or more of them.

Adjective

whipsaw (not comparable)

having the characteristic of arguing two sides at once

Source: Wiktionary


Whip"saw`, n.

Definition: A saw for dividing timber lengthwise, usually set in a frame, and worked by two persons; also, a fret saw.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

4 April 2025

GUILLOTINE

(verb) kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine; “The French guillotined many Vietnamese while they occupied the country”


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Coffee Trivia

Espresso is both a coffee beverage and a brewing method that originated in Italy. When making an espresso, a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure forces through finely-ground coffee beans. It has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages. Its smaller serving size will take three shots to equal a mug of standard brewed coffee.

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