Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

2 N‑UNCOUNT Zest is a quality in an activity or situation which you find exciting. □  Live interviews add zest and a touch of the unexpected to any piece of research.

3 N‑UNCOUNT [n N ] The zest of a lemon, orange, or lime is the outer skin when it is used to give flavour to something such as a cake or a drink. □ [+ of ] Mix the rest of the olive oil with the zest and juice of the lemon.

zig|zag /z I gzæg/ (zigzags , zigzagging , zigzagged ) also zig-zag

1 N‑COUNT A zigzag is a line which has a series of angles in it like a continuous series of 'W's. □  They staggered in a zigzag across the tarmac. □  …a zigzag pattern.

2 VERB If you zigzag , you move forward by going at an angle first to one side then to the other. □ [V prep] I zigzagged down a labyrinth of alleys. □  Expertly he zigzagged his way across the field. [Also V ]

zilch /z I ltʃ/ PRON Zilch means nothing. [INFORMAL ] □  At the moment these shares are worth zilch.

zil|lion /z I ljən/ (zillions ) NUM If you talk about a zillion people or things, you are emphasizing that there is an extremely large number of them. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □  It's been a zillion years since I've seen her.

Zim|mer frame /z I mə ^r fre I m/ (Zimmer frames ) N‑COUNT A Zimmer frame or a Zimmer is a frame that old or ill people sometimes use to help them walk. [BRIT , TRADEMARK ] in AM, use walker

zinc /z I ŋk/ N‑UNCOUNT Zinc is a bluish-white metal which is used to make other metals such as brass, or to cover other metals such as iron to stop a brown substance called rust from forming.

zine /ziː n/ (zines ) N‑COUNT A zine is a magazine about a particular subject, written by people who are interested in that subject rather than by professional journalists.

zing /z I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] If you refer to the zing in someone or something, you mean the quality that makes them lively or interesting. [INFORMAL ] □  He just lacked that extra zing. □  There's nothing like fresh basil to put a zing into a tomato sauce.

zing|er /z I ŋə ^r / (zingers ) N‑COUNT A zinger is a witty remark, or something that is lively, interesting, amusing, or impressive. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The panelists are left to compress their inquiries into one good zinger of a question. □  I thought it looked like a zinger.

Zi|on|ism /za I ən I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Zionism is a movement which was originally concerned with establishing a political and religious state in Palestine for Jewish people, and is now concerned with the development of Israel.

Zi|on|ist /za I ən I st/ (Zionists )

1 N‑COUNT A Zionist is someone who believes in Zionism. □  He was an ardent Zionist.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Zionist means relating to Zionism. □  …the Zionist movement.

zip /z I p/ (zips , zipping , zipped )

1 N‑COUNT A zip or zip fastener is a device used to open and close parts of clothes and bags. It consists of two rows of metal or plastic teeth which separate or fasten together as you pull a small tag along them. [mainly BRIT ] □ [+ of ] He pulled the zip of his leather jacket down slightly. in AM, usually use zipper 2 VERB When you zip something, you fasten it using a zip. □ [V n] She zipped her jeans. □ [V n] I slowly zipped and locked the heavy black nylon bags.

3 VERB To zip a computer file means to compress it so that it needs less space for storage on disk and can be transmitted more quickly. [COMPUTING ] ● PHRASAL VERB Zip up means the same as zip . □ [V P ] These files have been zipped up to take up less disk space. [Also V P n]

▸  zip up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you zip up something such as a piece of clothing or if it zips up , you are able to fasten it using its zip. □ [V P n] He zipped up his jeans. □ [V P ] My jeans wouldn't zip up. [Also V n P ]

2 → see zip 3