seesaw
/ˈsiː.sɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsiː.sɑː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsē-ˌsȯ/ (ame, mw)
seesaw — noun
- seesawsingular
- seesawsplural
1. a piece of playground equipment where a long plank rests on a pointed base; chil
a piece of playground equipment where a long plank rests on a pointed base; children sit at either end and take turns being lifted or lowered as they kick against the ground
Theo and his sister ran to the playground to play on the seesaw.
collocation: play on a/the seesaw
Mei-Lin pushed off the ground hard, lifting her friend high into the air.
A broken seesaw sat in the corner of the empty schoolyard.
The old wooden seesaw creaked as the children went up and down in the sun.
- teeter-totter
used in American English, especially in the northern US and Canada, while 'seesaw' is more common in British and general American English
文法句型
play on a/the seesaw
a [adjective] seesaw
用法筆記
Often appears with the verb 'play' in the phrase 'play on a/the seesaw.' The word refers to the equipment itself, not the action.
seesaw — verb
- seesawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- seesaws3rd person singular
- seesawing-ing form
- seesawedpast simple
1. to keep moving between two opposite emotions, opinions, or conditions, going bac
to keep moving between two opposite emotions, opinions, or conditions, going back and forth from one to the other
Throughout the afternoon, the stock market seesawed between gains and losses.
pattern: seesaw between [X] and [Y]
Priya's mood seesawed from excitement to worry before her final exam.
For months, public opinion on the tax plan has seesawed without a clear verdict.
Oleg's temperature seesawed wildly as his body fought the lung infection.
The basketball game seesawed back and forth until the final shot decided the winner.
- stabilise
to stop changing and become steady
文法句型
seesaw between [something] and [something]
seesaw back and forth
用法筆記
Intransitive only — you cannot 'seesaw something.' Almost always paired with 'between' followed by two nouns, or with 'back and forth.'
常見錯誤
2. to use a seesaw by sitting at one end and going alternately higher and lower as
to use a seesaw by sitting at one end and going alternately higher and lower as the opposite end moves in the other direction
Keiko and her younger brother seesawed in the backyard after school.
pattern: seesaw with [someone]
Amir watched his twin daughters seesaw happily in the afternoon sunshine.
Lucia and her best friend giggled as they seesawed in the park until sunset.
Raj loves to seesaw with his cousin whenever they visit the playground together.
- teeter
can describe the rocking motion, but less specific to the playground activity
文法句型
seesaw with [someone]
go seesawing
用法筆記
The subject is usually two or more people. You cannot seesaw alone because the equipment needs weight on both ends.
常見錯誤
seesaw — adjective
- seesawpositive
- more seesawcomparative
- most seesawsuperlative
1. changing repeatedly between two opposite conditions, feelings, or situations, wi
changing repeatedly between two opposite conditions, feelings, or situations, without staying in either one for long
The country suffered through a seesaw economy, growing one year then shrinking the next.
attributive use: a seesaw [noun]
Fatima described her seesaw emotions during the long and stressful job interview.
The team's seesaw performance frustrated fans who wanted a steady upward trend.
Diego found himself in a seesaw friendship, close one week and distant the next.
- alternating
more neutral and less vivid; suggests predictable rotation rather than emotional instability
- fluctuating
more common for measurable quantities; less personal than 'seesaw'
- steady
describes something that stays the same without changing
文法句型
a seesaw [noun]
seesaw [noun]
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Describes a repeating pattern of alternation, not a single change of direction.