A whipsaw or pitsaw was originally a type of saw used in a saw pit, and consisted of a narrow blade held rigid by a frame and called a frame saw or sash saw. This evolved into a straight, stiff blade without a frame, up to 14 feet long and with a handle at each end.

What does whipsawed mean in stocks?

Whipsaw refers to a loss that a trader incurs when a security suddenly and unexpectedly drops soon after it is purchased. Investors will say that the trader is 'whipsawed' when his or her security's price suddenly moves in the opposite direction of a trade that he or she has just placed.

What does whipsawed mean in slang?

1 : to saw with a whipsaw. 2 : to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes.