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View synonyms for yo-yo

yo-yo

[ yoh-yoh ]

noun

, plural yo-yos.
  1. a spoollike toy consisting of two thick wooden, plastic, or metal disks connected by a dowel pin in the center to which a string is attached, one end being looped around the player's finger so that the toy can be spun out and reeled in by wrist motion.
  2. something that fluctuates or moves up and down, especially suddenly or repeatedly.
  3. Slang. a stupid, foolish, or incompetent person.


adjective

  1. Informal. moving up and down or back and forth; fluctuating; vacillating:

    yo-yo prices; a yo-yo foreign policy.

verb (used without object)

  1. Informal. to move up and down or back and forth; fluctuate or vacillate:

    Mortgage rates are still yo-yoing.

verb (used with object)

  1. Informal. to cause to yo-yo.

yo-yo

/ ˈjəʊjəʊ /

noun

  1. a toy consisting of a spool attached to a string, the end of which is held while it is repeatedly spun out and reeled in
  2. slang.
    a stupid person, esp one who is easily manipulated
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. informal.
    to change repeatedly from one position to another; fluctuate
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. informal.
    changing repeatedly; fluctuating
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of yo-yo1

First recorded in 1915–20; of undetermined origin; possibly from Ilocano yóyo or a related language as the name of a Philippine toy
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Word History and Origins

Origin of yo-yo1

from Filipino yo yo , come come, a weapon consisting of a spindle attached to a thong
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Example Sentences

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a mechanism behind the yo-yo effect: fat cells have a memory that is based on epigenetics.

Williams said his research shows that much of the drought’s severity has been driven by the West’s extreme natural variability, which he likens to a yo-yo going from wet to dry.

At the time, he was an incoming sophomore at Santa Cruz High School who volunteered at a camp for young artists and was known for his yo-yo tricks.

The goal was to learn more about why and how people entered the yo-yo dieting cycle and how, if at all, they were able to get out of it.

The sales rep said: "I yo-yo dieted my whole life, for 30 years, and I got my sleeve two years ago."

From BBC

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