Seesaw

Alternative forms

• see-saw

Origin

Probably a frequentative imitative of rhythmic back-and-forth, up-and-down or zigzaging motion, such as teeter-totter, zigzag, flip-flop, ping-pong, etc., under the umbrella term of reduplication; also likely influenced by the verbs see and saw of either present or past tense.

Full definition of seesaw

Noun

1. A structure composed of a plank, balanced in the middle, used as a game in which one person goes up as the other goes down; a teeter-totter
2. a series of up-and-down movements.
3. a series of alternating movements or feelings
• Sir W. HamiltonHe has been arguing in a circle; there is thus a seesaw between the hypothesis and fact.
• 2011, November 5, Phil Dawkes, QPR 2 - 3 Man City, Manchester City kept up their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with victory over QPR in an entertaining see-saw encounter at Loftus Road.

Synonyms

• (structure of a plank balanced in the middle) teeter-totter

Verb

1. (intransitive) To use a seesaw.
2. (intransitive) To fluctuate.
3. (transitive) To cause to move backward and forward in seesaw fashion.
• Ld. LyttonHe seesaws himself to and fro.

Adjective

1. fluctuating.