whipsaw
/wˈɪpsˌɔ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.46 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To operate a whipsaw.
verb
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 verb
verb
Of a trade union: to coerce employers into capitulating by bringing them the news that other (more easily convinced) employers have already done so.
verb
To accept bribes from multiple parties at once, with the intent of letting down one or more of them.
American usage
adj
Having the characteristic of arguing two sides at once.
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "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."
Etymology
Usage
- Transitive verb
- American usage