whip|saw

whip|saw «HWIHP _S», noun, verb, adjective.

–n.

a long, narrow saw with its ends held in a frame, used especially for curved work.

–v.t.

1. to cut with a whipsaw.

2. U.S. Informal, Figurative. a) to defeat or cause to fail in two opposite ways at the same time: »

Instances of selling in the decline before the election with the intention of buying back later were whipsawed (Wall Street Journal).

b) to have or take the advantage of, as by playing one against the other: »

A major problem for dozens of U.S. industries: they must either stand together or risk being whipsawed by unions (Time).

3. to win at one turn or play (two bets from the same player), as in faro.

–v.i.

1. to bend back and forth; whip: »

The next morning the 5-inch steel cable, worn by constant whipsawing, snapped (Newsweek).

2. Figurative. to play one person, company, or group, against another: »

Whipsawing is striking one company at a time, while permitting others to operate and thus adding to the pressure on the closed company (Wall Street Journal).

–adj.

of or characteristic of whipsawing: »

Figurative. whipsaw tactics.