Whipsaw
Encyclopedia
Whipsaw as a noun refers to the type of saw used in a saw pit
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As a transitive verb it means to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents, e.g., wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes.
Saw pit
A saw pit or sawpit is a pit over which lumber is positioned to be sawed with a long two-handled saw by two men, one standing above the timber and the other below. It was used for producing sawn planks from tree trunks, which could then be cut down into boards, pales, posts, etc. Many towns,...
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As a transitive verb it means to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents, e.g., wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes.