whiplash

Plural: whiplashes

Noun

• The lashing part of a whip; also, a neck injury from sudden movement.
• an injury to the neck (the cervical vertebrae) resulting from rapid acceleration or deceleration (as in an automobile accident)
• a quick blow delivered with a whip or whiplike object
• The lash of a whip.
• An injury to the upper spine connected to a violent jerk of the head in either a backward or forward or side to side direction, resembling the motion of a whip.
• An abrupt and unexpected change, or the resulting feeling of shock.

Verb

• To jerk back and forth; to buffet.
• To lash as if with a whip.

Examples

• That unexpected seven-letter word left my opponent with whiplash, metaphorically speaking, of course.

Synonyms

lash, whip, whiplash injury, switchback, whiplash-associated disorder, zigzag course