seesaw

Everyday

1. A long board balanced in the middle on which two children sit at opposite ends and go up and down. tree →
2. (verb) To move up and down or back and forth again and again, or to keep changing between two states. tree →

In the lessons

In playground life it is a favourite toy (in the USA also called a teeter-totter). In science and maths it shows balance and levers: a heavier child must sit nearer the middle. In stories, feelings or a score can seesaw. Phrases: on the seesaw, seesawing prices.

Examples

• We went up and down on the seesaw at the park. tree →
• Dad is heavier, so he sat nearer the middle of the seesaw to balance it. tree →
• A seesaw is a kind of lever. tree →
• The score seesawed all game until the last goal. tree →
• My mood seesawed between happy and nervous before the concert. tree →
• Hold on tight on the seesaw and don't jump off suddenly. tree →

Note

Also written see-saw. Americans also say teeter-totter. In lever problems, weight times distance from the middle must match on both sides for it to balance.