titter-totter
11Teetered — Teeter Tee ter, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. {Teetered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Teetering}.] [Prov. E. titter to tremble, to seesaw; cf. Icel. titra to tremble, OHG. zittar[=o]n, G. zittern.] To move up and down on the ends of a balanced plank, or the like …
12Teetering — Teeter Tee ter, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. {Teetered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Teetering}.] [Prov. E. titter to tremble, to seesaw; cf. Icel. titra to tremble, OHG. zittar[=o]n, G. zittern.] To move up and down on the ends of a balanced plank, or the like …
13teetertotter — tee′ter•tot ter or tee′ter tot ter n. 1) a seesaw 2) to ride a seesaw • Etymology: 1900–05, amer.; gradational formation based on totter; cf. British dial. titter totter, teeter cum tauter …
14teeter — (v.) 1843, to seesaw, alteration of M.E. titter move unsteadily, probably from O.N. titra to shake, shiver, totter, related to Ger. zittern to tremble. Noun teeter totter see saw is attested from 1905 …
15teeter — [tēt′ər] vi. [dial. titter < ME titeren < ON titra, to tremble, akin to Ger zittern < redupl. of IE base * drā , to step > TRAP1, TRIP] to totter, wobble, waver, etc. vt. to cause to teeter n. short for TEETER TOTTER …
16teeter — v.intr. 1 totter; stand or move unsteadily. 2 hesitate; be indecisive. Phrases and idioms: teeter on the brink (or edge) be in imminent danger (of disaster etc.). Etymology: var. of dial. titter …
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