seesaw

Meaning

Noun

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

Verb

1. (intransitive) To use a seesaw.
2. (broadly, intransitive) To fluctuate.
3. (transitive) To cause to move backward and forward in seesaw fashion.

Adj

fluctuating.

Synonyms

teeter-totter

teeter

swing

teeterboard

move up and down

teetertotter

tilting board

dandle board

vacillate

totter

wobble

oscillate

shuttle

rock

🪨

see-saw

sting

sway

undulate

wabble

waddle

waver

yieldingly

zigzag

coggle

hurt exceedingly

be irresolute

move back and forth

seesaw board

swayingly

hickey horse

play at see-saw

alternate

teeter board

alternating

alternation

balance

correlative

dangle

fluctuate

hammock

hesitate

lever

reciprocal

reciprocating

roll

scend

shilly shally

Translations

Wippe

tapecul

balançoire

altalena

τραμπάλα

Schaukel

balancín

bascule

Schaukelbrett

gangorra

tahterevalli

wippen

subibaja

balancé

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsiː.sɔː/

Etymology

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.