seesaw

• Jeu de plein air constitué d'une longue planche en équilibre sur un pivot central, permettant à deux enfants assis aux extrémités de monter et descendre alternativement.

A playground apparatus consisting of a long plank balanced on a central pivot, allowing children at either end to move up and down alternately.

1. Playground equipmentA2formal

   A long plank balanced on a central pivot, allowing children to sit at each end and move up and down alternately.

   balançoire à bascule

   • The children laughed as they played on the seesaw in the park.
   • She pushed off the ground to lift her friend on the seesaw.
   • The old wooden seesaw creaked with every movement.

   Synonymesteeter-totterteeterboard

2. Alternating movement or changeB2informal

   A situation characterized by repeated changes from one state to another, like an up-and-down motion.

   mouvement de bascule

   • The stock market has been on a seesaw all week, rising and falling unpredictably.
   • Their relationship was a seesaw of arguments and reconciliations.
   • The game was a seesaw of momentum, with both teams taking turns leading.

   Synonymesalternationback and forthfluctuationfluxoscillationswingto and frovacillationvariationwavering

• Verbe utilisé pour désigner un mouvement de bascule de haut en bas ou d'avant en arrière, ou l'alternance entre deux états ou positions.

A verb used to indicate moving up and down or back and forth, or alternating between two states or positions.

1. Ride on a plankA2informal

   To play on a seesaw, moving up and down alternately with another person.

   jouer à la balançoire à bascule

   • The children seesawed in the park for hours.
   • They were happily seesawing back and forth.
   • She loves to seesaw with her younger brother.

   Synonymesteeter-totter

2. Move up and downB1informal

   To move alternately up and down, resembling the motion of a seesaw.

   Bercer, osciller

   • The boat seesawed on the rough waves.
   • His emotions seesawed between joy and despair.
   • The stock market seesawed throughout the day.

   Synonymesbobfluctuateoscillaterockswayswingteetertotter

3. Move unsteadilyB1informal

   To move with a rocking or unsteady motion, as if about to fall.

   Balancer

   • The toddler seesawed as he took his first steps.
   • The old chair seesawed on its uneven legs.
   • He seesawed on the edge of the cliff, trying to keep his balance.

   Synonymeslurchrockswayteetertotterwobble