seesaw

seesaw
seesaw 1630s, in see-saw-sacke a downe, words in a rhythmic jingle used by children and repetitive motion workers, probably imitative of the rhythmic back-and-forth motion of sawyers working a two-man saw over wood or stone (see SAW (Cf. saw)). Reference to a game of going up and down on a balanced plank is recorded from 1704; figurative sense is from 1714. Applied from 1824 to the plank arranged for the game. The verb is from 1712.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Seesaw — See saw , n. [Probably a reduplication of saw, to express the alternate motion to and fro, as in the act of sawing.] 1. A play among children in which they are seated upon the opposite ends of a plank which is balanced in the middle, and move… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Seesaw — See saw , v. t. To cause to move backward and forward in seesaw fashion. [1913 Webster] He seesaws himself to and fro. Ld. Lytton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • seesaw — [sē′sô΄] n. [redupl. of SAW1: from the action of sawing] 1. a plank balanced on a support at the middle, used by children at play, who ride the ends so that when one goes up, the other comes down 2. the act of riding a plank in this way 3. any up …   English World dictionary

  • Seesaw — See saw , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Seesawad}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Seesawing}.] To move with a reciprocating motion; to move backward and forward, or upward and downward. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Seesaw — See saw , a. Moving up and down, or to and fro; having a reciprocating motion. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • seesaw — index beat (pulsate), oscillate, vacillate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • Seesaw — A seesaw (also known as a teeter totter) is a long, narrow board suspended in the middle so that, as one end goes up, the other goes down.In a playground setting, the board is balanced in the exact center. A person sits on each end and they take… …   Wikipedia

  • seesaw — [[t]si͟ːsɔː[/t]] seesaws, seesawing, seesawed also see saw 1) N COUNT A seesaw is a long board which is balanced on a fixed part in the middle. To play on it, a child sits on each end, and when one end goes up, the other goes down. There was a… …   English dictionary

  • seesaw n — Mr. See owned a saw. And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw. Now, See s saw sawed Soar s seesaw Before Soar saw See, Which made Soar sore. Had Soar seen See s saw Before See sawed Soar s seesaw, See s saw would not have sawed Soar s seesaw. So See s saw… …   English expressions

  • seesaw — /see saw /, n. 1. a recreation in which two children alternately ride up and down while seated at opposite ends of a plank balanced at the middle. 2. a plank or apparatus for this recreation. 3. an up and down or a back and forth movement or… …   Universalium

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