seesaw
gb/sˈisˌɔ/ us/sˈisˌɔ/
A2
English
libikóka, mérleghinta, fel-le billeg, ingadozik, váltakozás, hullámvasút, hullámzás
NOUN
A2
1
libikóka
A2
mérleghinta
B1
Usage pattern:
play on [a seesaw]; sit on [a seesaw]
The kids took turns on the seesaw after school.
A gyerekek iskola után felváltva libikókáztak.
There’s a seesaw next to the swings in the park.
A parkban a hinták mellett van egy libikóka.
He sat on one end of the seesaw and waited for his sister to climb on.
Learner examples
The children are on the seesaw.
A gyerekek a libikókán ülnek.
I played on a seesaw at the park.
Libikókáztam a parkban.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse "seesaw" (the playground toy) with "see saw" (past tense of "see").
Meaning
playground up-and-down board
Collocations
play on a seesaw
|sit on a seesaw
|a playground seesaw
|ride a seesaw
|go on the seesaw
|a wooden seesaw
|a metal seesaw
|a seesaw at the park
Synonyms
teeter-totter (Common in American English; more informal.)
Themes
children
|playground
|daily_life
Definition
A playground toy that goes up and down when two people sit on it.
A long board balanced in the middle that people sit on at each end and move up and down for fun.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[something] seesaws; seesaw up and down; seesaw back and forth
The board seesawed as the children shifted their weight.
A deszka fel-le billegett, ahogy a gyerekek áthelyezték a súlyukat.
The boat began to seesaw in the rough water.
A hajó fel-le billegni kezdett a háborgó vízen.
The old sign seesawed in the wind.
Learner examples
The plank seesawed up and down.
A deszka fel-le billegett.
The boat seesawed in the waves.
A hajó fel-le billegett a hullámokon.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write "see-saw" or separate it as "see saw"; as a verb it is usually one word: "seesaw" (past: "seesawed").
Meaning
move up and down alternately
Collocations
seesaw up and down
|seesaw back and forth
|seesaw gently
|seesaw wildly
|seesaw on a pivot
|seesaw on the edge
Synonyms
rock (Often slower and smoother than seesawing.)
|
teeter (Emphasizes instability or nearly falling.)
Antonyms
steady (To become or remain stable instead of moving up and down.)
Themes
movement
|daily_life
Definition
To go up and down again and again.
To move repeatedly up and down, with one side rising as the other falls.
VERB
B2
3
ingadozik
B1
Usage pattern:
seesaw between [A] and [B]; seesaw from [A] to [B]
She seesawed between taking the job and staying where she was.
Ingadozott aközött, hogy elfogadja az állást, vagy ott marad, ahol volt.
Public opinion seesawed after the debate.
A vita után ingadozott a közvélemény.
His confidence seesawed all season.
Learner examples
I seesaw between two choices.
Két lehetőség között ingadozom.
Prices seesawed last week.
Az árak múlt héten ingadoztak.
Common mistake:
Use "between" for two choices ("between A and B"); use "among" for more than two.
Meaning
change between two states
Collocations
seesaw between two options
|seesaw between hope and fear
|seesaw between anger and sadness
|prices seesaw
|support seesaws
|seesaw from day to day
|seesaw sharply
Synonyms
vacillate (More formal; usually about decisions or opinions.)
|
waver (Often suggests uncertainty or lack of firmness.)
|
fluctuate (Common for numbers like prices or temperatures.)
Antonyms
stabilize (To stop changing and become steady.)
|
settle (To reach a firm decision or stable state.)
Themes
emotions
|business
|politics
|health
Definition
To change again and again between two things.
To keep changing back and forth between two positions, opinions, levels, or moods.
NOUN
B2
4
Usage pattern:
a seesaw of [something]; a seesaw between [A] and [B]
The negotiations became a seesaw of concessions and demands.
A tárgyalásokon végül folyamatosan engedmények és követelések váltogatták egymást.
The past year has been a seesaw of highs and lows for the company.
Az elmúlt év a hullámhegyek és hullámvölgyek váltakozása volt a cég számára.
The region has seen a seesaw of power between rival groups.
Learner examples
It was a seesaw of emotions.
Érzelmi hullámvasút volt.
The game was a seesaw between the two teams.
A meccsen végig váltakozott, melyik csapat került előnybe.
Common mistake:
This noun sense is figurative; it does not refer to the playground object.
Meaning
back-and-forth change or balance
Collocations
a seesaw of emotions
|a seesaw of power
|a seesaw between two teams
|a political seesaw
|a seesaw in prices
Synonyms
back-and-forth (More general; can be used as a noun phrase or adjective.)
|
tug-of-war (Emphasizes active struggle between sides.)
Antonyms
stability (The absence of frequent change.)
Themes
sports
|politics
|business
Definition
A situation that changes back and forth between two sides.
A situation in which control, advantage, or conditions keep shifting back and forth between two sides.
Grammar
Dictionary form
seesaw
IPA
GB/sˈisˌɔ/
US/sˈisˌɔ/
Syllables & stress
seesaw (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (seesaw)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: seesaw
- Plural: seesaw, seesaws
Verb
- Base: seesaw
- 3rd Person Singular: seesaws
- Present Participle: seesawing
- Past: seesawed
Expressions
a seesaw battle
1/ə sˈisˌɔ bˈætəl/
fixed phrase
competition with changing advantage
A fight or game where each side leads at different times.
Examples
- It was a seesaw battle, with both teams trading the lead all night.
- The election turned into a seesaw battle across several key states.
- After a seesaw battle in the second half, they won by a single point.
Learner examples
- The match was a seesaw battle.
- It was a seesaw battle between the two teams.
the seesaw effect
1/ðə sˈisˌɔ ɪfˈɛkt/
fixed phrase
one rises as other falls
When one thing goes up and another goes down.
Examples
- There’s a seesaw effect between risk and return in many investments.
- Some people notice a seesaw effect between work stress and sleep quality.
- The report describes a seesaw effect: as costs rose, demand fell.
Learner examples
- There is a seesaw effect between price and demand.