Word of the Day

: February 19, 2009

whipsaw

verb WIP-saw

What It Means

1 : to saw with a whipsaw

2 : to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents

whipsaw in Context

"Wage earners have been whipsawed by inflation and high taxes for too long," proclaimed the Senator.

Did You Know?

A whipsaw is a type of handsaw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit. The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 1870s that anyone thought to use the saw's name figuratively to describe situations in which someone or something is doubly "cut," or hurt. Today, the word is commonly used when discussing financial crises or losses. For example, just recently a chief executive explained in a press statement that his company was "whipsawed in the fourth quarter as key industries were hit by a rapidly deteriorating economy and plunging commodity prices." (The New York Times, January 27, 2009)