First Known Use: 1704
Dictionary
1seesaw
noun see·saw \ˈsē-ˌsȯ\
: a long, flat board that is balanced in the middle so that when one end goes up the other end goes down
: a situation in which something keeps changing from one state to another and back again
Full Definition of SEESAW
1
: an alternating up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion or movement; also : a contest or struggle in which now one side now the other has the lead
2
a : a pastime in which two children or groups of children ride on opposite ends of a plank balanced in the middle so that one end goes up as the other goes down b : the plank or apparatus so used
— seesaw adjective
See seesaw defined for English-language learners
See seesaw defined for kids
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Origin of SEESAW
probably from reduplication of 3saw
Rhymes with SEESAW
backsaw, band saw, bear claw, bedstraw, blue law, bucksaw, buzz saw, bylaw, case law, catclaw, cat's-paw, chain saw, Choctaw, coleslaw, Corn Law, crenshaw, cumshaw, cushaw, Danelaw, declaw, Esau, forepaw, fretsaw, glass jaw, grandma, grandpa, guffaw, hacksaw, handsaw, hawkshaw, hee-haw, hurrah, in-law, jackdaw, jackstraw, jigsaw, kickshaw, last straw, leash law, lockjaw, lynch law, macaw, Moose Jaw, Nassau, old-squaw, outdraw, outlaw, pasha, pawpaw, pit saw, pooh-bah, poor law, rickshaw, ringtaw, ripsaw, scofflaw, scrimshaw, scroll saw, shield law, southpaw, Skiddaw, tack claw, trishaw, tussah, undraw, Utah, Warsaw, whipsaw, wiredraw, withdraw
2seesaw
verb
: to keep changing from one state or condition to another and then back again
Full Definition of SEESAW
intransitive verb1
a : to move backward and forward or up and down b : to play at seesaw
2
: alternate <seesaw between two activities>
transitive verb
: to cause to move in seesaw fashion
See seesaw defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SEESAW
1712
SEESAW Defined for Kids
1seesaw
noun see·saw \ˈsē-ˌsȯ\
Definition of SEESAW for Kids
1
: a plank for children to play on that is balanced in the middle on a raised bar with one end going up while the other goes down
2
: a situation in which something keeps changing from one state to another and back again
2seesaw
verb
see·sawedsee·saw·ing
Definition of SEESAW for Kids
: to keep changing from one state to another and back again
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