whipsaw: Meaning and Definition of

whip•saw

Pronunciation: (hwip'sô", wip'-), [key]
— n., v., -sawed, -sawed -sawn, -saw•ing.
—n.
  1. a saw for two persons, as a pitsaw, used to divide timbers lengthwise.
—v.t.
  1. to cut with a whipsaw.
  2. to win two bets from (a person) at one turn or play, as at faro.
  3. to subject to two opposing forces at the same time: The real-estate market has been whipsawed by high interest rates and unemployment.
—v.i.
  1. (of a trailer, railroad car, etc.) to swing suddenly to the right or left, as in rounding a sharp curve at high speed.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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