whipsaw

informal

1. verb To subject (someone or something) to two very difficult or intense and often opposite forces, either simultaneously or in quick succession. The country's economy was whipsawed by the largest drop in the history of the stock market, followed almost immediately by tremendous gains after the announcement of the stimulus package by the president.

2. verb To go back and forth between two states, positions, conditions, etc. The narrative whipsaws between two protagonists who occupy the same physical space but are separated in time by exactly 100 years.

3. poker, verb Of two players, to collude in raising and re-raising the bet in order to force a middle player to continue calling. The two poker sharks started whipsawing the newcomer, pushing him to bet all he had brought with him.

4. noun A situation that oscillates dramatically between extreme positions, as in the stock market. The explosive news from world leaders has sent global markets into a whipsaw, plunging and rallying and plunging again as traders scrambled to gain control of their investments.

5. poker, noun A situation in which two players collude in raising and re-raising the bet in order to force a middle player to continue calling. It looked like Thompson was about to be caught in a whipsaw, but he managed to fold his hand before the other two players began their raises.

whipsaw

1. tv. to assault a person; to gang up and beat a person. What kind of creeps would whipsaw an old buzzard like that?

2. tv. [for the stock market] to reduce the capital of investors by frightening them into selling when stock prices are low and encouraging them to buy when prices are high. (Securities markets.) A lot of people were whipsawed in the recent market volatility.

See also:

References in periodicals archive

The Department was whipsawed by "reinventing-government" downsizing, budgetary strictures and gender- and minority-preference legal pressures such that limited promotion slots had to be made available for some at the expense of others.

Promotion process

"Living through any legal justice struggle--this one or any that have preceded it--leaves you whipsawed," says Bonauto, 45.

Laying down the law

Aren't hospitals being whipsawed? Shouldn't we complain about being made to meet a double standard?

Do you want us to hide information or release information? Make up your mind

The second-term Republican president is a plain-spoken idealist (considered a visionary by his admirers, and dangerously ignorant by his opponents); he is being whipsawed by global challenges and insider ethics scandals and would prefer to spend more time on his ranch.

On message: for 25 years, Gary Hart has delivered the same national security lecture. And he's still right

Murray deals with a range of emotions as the whipsawed protagonist, Sheridan Hart, works to overcome the news.

Also noted

Kerry, whipsawed by advisers, sent disastrously mixed signals on the Iraq War.

An uncertain trumpet

To avoid being "whipsawed"--having different tax treatments for each party result in its collecting no tax--the IRS inconsistently determined that Hawley could not deduct the payments and that Gilbert must include them in her gross income.

Alimony payments must terminate at death

They have been whipsawed by the increasingly strong Canadian dollar, to the tune that losses in the foreign exchange rate represented roughly one-third of all the losses of the companies.

NEWSPRINT MAKERS HAVE BAD YEAR

A third said that market timers had even "whipsawed" - raided - a fund aimed at encouraging children to save.

Sorted and the City: Traders accused of ripping off kids; INVESTORS TO SUE FOR pounds 90m

Net absorption was whipsawed at a time when there was nominal change in employment figures.

Absorption hasn't followed usual patterns

Newspaper advertising trends have been improving, but will stock- market ups and downs lead whipsawed consumers to curb their spending, postponing the recovery?

Taking stock of the market

1041 nonrecognition provisions to nonstatutory stock options and nonqualified deferred compensation, the IRS could find itself whipsawed. Following its loss to the transferee spouse in court, the Service nonetheless would be held to its published rulings and would be prevented from requiring the transferor spouse to include amounts in income.

Ruling expands Sec. 1041 exemptions from assignment-of-income doctrine

But within a few short days of September 11, conservative forces whipsawed public debate and left progressive voices gasping for breath.

Changing the terms of debate: Hunter Cutting discusses strategies to influence public opinion of the war on terrorism. (A New Era)

Finally, regulators must ensure that competitors do not continue to be whipsawed on every important local competition issue previously negotiated or arbitrated.

Opening the last mile: Still waiting. (Webcasting Magazine)

(Buffeted by internal disputes and whipsawed between the principles and ambitions of leading members, the Labour Party lashed itself in Feb.

ISRAEL - Oct. 22 - Labour Considers Leaving Coalition