yo-yo

See also: yoyo, YOYO, and yoyó

English

Formerly a trademark. Most likely from Ilocano yóyo. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

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Audio (US): (file)

yo-yo (plural yo-yos)

A toy consisting of a spheroidal or cylindrical spindle having a circular groove in which string is wound; it is used by holding the string in the fingers and reeling the spindle up and down by movements of the wrist.
Coordinate terms: diabolo, whirligig

I bought a yo-yo from the toy store yesterday.
(finance) A volatile market that moves up and down.
(informal) Someone who vacillates.
(informal) A foolish, annoying or incompetent person.
It is hard to watch the management for very long and not conclude that the place is run by a bunch of yo-yos.
- 1985, Sting & Mark Knopfler (lyrics and music), “Money for Nothing”, in Brothers in Arms, performed by Dire Straits:
  Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
- 1991, Stephen King, Needful Things:
  Henry glanced past him at the few other customers currently in attendance. "Hey! Any of you yo-yos headed up Castle Hill?"

toy

volatile market

someone who vacillates

yo-yo (third-person singular simple present yo-yos, present participle yo-yoing, simple past and past participle yo-yoed)

(intransitive) To vacillate; to move up and down.
- 1990, The Economist (volume 316, page 93)
  The yo-yoing stockmarket whizzed back up by around a quarter and then started to fall again.