Whipsaw

Quick meaning: Whipsaw is a noun meaning A rip saw often operated by two people.

Meaning

A rip saw often operated by two people.

More Meanings

1. To operate a whipsaw.
2. (transitive) To defeat someone in two different ways at once.
3. (US politics) To accept bribes from multiple parties at once, with the intent of letting down one or more of them.
4. Having the characteristic of arguing two sides at once.
5. (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.
6. Of a trade union: to coerce employers into capitulating by bringing them the news that other (more easily convinced) employers have already done so.

Example Sentences

During the Porter crisis, Kelly found himself under intense scrutiny for the veracity of his whipsaw statements. He publicly praised Porter and privately urged him to stay.

Whipsawed by events and facing another midterm electoral defeat, President Obama has directed his team to forge a policy agenda to regain momentum for his final two years in office even as some advisers urge that he rethink the way he governs.

Word Forms

• whipsaws
• whipsawing
• whipsawed
• whipsawn

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include whipper, ripsaw, whip, sawblade, sawzall, buzzsaw.

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