Wiktionary

seesaw

See also: see-saw

English

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A seesaw.
 
Makeshift seesaws are used for acrobatics.

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Probably a frequentative imitative of rhythmic back-and-forth, up-and-down or zigzagging 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.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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seesaw (plural seesaws)

  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.
    Synonym: teeter-totter
  2. A series of up-and-down movements.
  3. A series of alternating movements or feelings.
  4. (medicine, attributively) An abnormal breathing pattern caused by airway obstruction, characterized by paradoxical chest and abdominal movement.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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seesaw (third-person singular simple present seesaws, present participle seesawing, simple past and past participle seesawed)

  1. (intransitive) To use a seesaw.
  2. (intransitive, by extension) To fluctuate.
    • 1971, “All I Want”, in Blue, performed by Joni Mitchell:
      When I think of your kisses / My mind see-saws
  3. (transitive) To cause to move backward and forward in seesaw fashion.

Translations

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Adjective

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seesaw (comparative more seesaw, superlative most seesaw)

  1. fluctuating.

Anagrams

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