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

verb

1. informal.
   to change repeatedly from one position to another; fluctuate

adjective

1. informal.
   changing repeatedly; fluctuating

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of yo-yo¹

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

Example Sentences

Garrett discusses being stop-lossed, which is a psychological yo-yo that really screwed him up.

From The Daily Beast

I had to send it to the federal treasury because someone yo-yo scratched out their name on it.

From The Daily Beast

There were these Japanese yo-yo experts who used to do exhibitions at the Woolworth.

From The Daily Beast

Oh, for the good old days when Roy Acuff taught Richard Nixon how to use a yo-yo on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

From The Daily Beast

Paul Dang shows off his incredible yo-yo skills and—perhaps more impressively—rocks a sweet baby blue jacket.

From The Daily Beast

Then the Yo-Yo blew up, very quietly, as things do where there is no air to carry shock-and sound-waves, but very brilliantly.

From Project Gutenberg

That's pretty hard to keep track of, because I was like a yo-yo, back and forth from one parent to the other.

From Project Gutenberg

Bu-bu-bu-but wh-wh-what wo-wo-would th-th-the re-re-reb be-be-been do-do-doing; yo-yo-you in-in-infernal blockhead!

From Project Gutenberg

“Gabbi, gabbi,” said the dwarf, greatly excited; and when we turned towards it “Yo-yo-yo” in approval.

From Project Gutenberg

"I d—d—d—do promise, if—yo—yo—yo—you—don't—duc—" and in he went again.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• clodpoll