whipsaw

[ hwip-saw, wip- ]
/ ˈʰwɪpˌsɔ, ˈwɪp- /

noun

a saw for two persons, as a pitsaw, used to divide timbers lengthwise.

verb (used with object), whip·sawed, whip·sawed or whip·sawn, whip·saw·ing.

to cut with a whipsaw.
to win two bets from (a person) at one turn or play, as at faro.
to subject to two opposing forces at the same time: The real-estate market has been whipsawed by high interest rates and unemployment.

verb (used without object), whip·sawed, whip·sawed or whip·sawn, whip·saw·ing.

(of a trailer, railroad car, etc.) to swing suddenly to the right or left, as in rounding a sharp curve at high speed.

Origin of whipsaw

First recorded in 1530–40; whip + saw1

Example sentences from the Web for whipsaw

British Dictionary definitions for whipsaw

whipsaw
/ (ˈwɪpˌsɔː) /

noun

any saw with a flexible blade, such as a bandsaw

verb -saws, -sawing, -sawed, -sawed or -sawn (tr)

to saw with a whipsaw
US to defeat in two ways at once