zoom shotnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zoom shot mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zoom shot. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the noun zoom shot?
| 1930 | 0.002 |
| 1940 | 0.0042 |
| 1950 | 0.0053 |
| 1960 | 0.0058 |
| 1970 | 0.0073 |
| 1980 | 0.0089 |
| 1990 | 0.0098 |
| 2000 | 0.011 |
| 2010 | 0.01 |
Where does the noun zoom shot come from?
Earliest known use
1930s
The earliest known use of the noun zoom shot is in the 1930s.
OED's earliest evidence for zoom shot is from 1930, in the Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, Wisconsin).
Nearby entries
- zoometry, n.1878–
- zooming, n.1892–
- zooming, adj.1904–
- zoom lens, n.1932–
- zoomorph, n.1883–
- zoomorphic, adj.1849–
- zoomorphism, n.1822–
- zoomorphize, v.1940–
- zoomorphizing, n.1895–
- zoomorphosed, adj.1955–
- zoom shot, n.1930–
- zoomy, adj.1931–
- zoomythic, adj.1889–
- zoon, n.1851–1905
- zoon, v.1880–
- zoon, int.1863–
- -zoon, comb. form
- zoonate, n.1798–1857
- zoonerythrin, n.1882–
- zoonic, adj.1798–1853
- zooning, n.1885–
Meaning & use
- 1930–A camera shot taken with a zoom lens.
- 1930
This mystery thriller also has one of the baffling ‘zoom’ shots.
Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Press 25 August 6/4 - 1966
A pre-credit titles vertical zoom-shot is served as hors d'œuvre for those with appetites for impudently expert camera work.
Listener 24 February 286/1 - 2012
The scene consists of five zoom shots.
Film History vol. 24 102/1
- long shot1858–Film, Photography, and Television (originally U.S.). A shot which includes figures or scenery at a distance. Contrasted with close-up, n. C.1a.
- glass shot1908–A shot taken through a sheet of glass bearing a painted or photographed image of part of the setting, which has been placed in front of the camera so…
- close-up1912–A cinematographic shot or a photograph taken at close range in order to show the subject on a large scale in great detail.
- close shot1917–A cinema or television shot taken at close range and hence showing the subject on a large scale in great detail. Cf. close-up, n. C.1a, close-medium…
- aerial shot1920–A shot or footage taken from the air, esp. by a camera filming the action from an aircraft (now often a drone); (also) a photograph taken using…
- establishing shot1921–A shot, typically a long shot, used near the beginning of a scene to establish the context in which the characters, objects, and places that are…
- angle shot1922–Photography and Film. A shot in which the camera is pointing obliquely at the subject.
- medium shot1925–A cinematographic or television shot intermediate between a close-up and a long shot.
- far-away1926–Part of a cinema film taken at a distance, as distinguished from a ‘close-up’. ? Obsolete.
- travelling shot1927–A shot in which the camera is in motion while filming; cf. tracking shot, n.
- money shot1928–a. Sport a shot on which the outcome of a match, etc., depends; a very important shot; cf. money, n. compounds C.3; b. a provocative…
- zoom1930–Cinematography and Photography. A camera shot that changes smoothly from a long shot to a close-up, or vice versa, without loss of focus; the act…
- zoom shot1930–A camera shot taken with a zoom lens.
- process shot1931–A shot made using process projection.
- close-medium shot1933–A cinema or television shot which is focused on one specific subject, but does not show it in as close detail as a close-up.
- medium close-up1933–A cinematographic or television shot intermediate between a medium shot (see medium shot, n.) and a close-up.
- reverse angle1933–Film and Television. The opposite angle from which the subject was seen in the preceding shot; a shot filmed from this angle.
- reverse shot1934–= reverse-angle shot, n. (b).
- three-shot1934–A shot with three people in the frame.
- tilt shot1934–A camera shot which pivots up or down in a vertical plane.
- medium-close shot1937–= medium close-up, n.
- reaction shot1937–A shot in a film, video, etc., depicting a person's response to an event, statement, or the like.
- tracking shot1940–A shot during which the camera tracks (track, v.¹ I.3e).
- pan shot1941–
- stock shot1941–= library shot, n.
- Dutch angle1947–A camera shot which is tilted so the frame is not level, esp. used to portray disorientation, tension, or unease.
- cheat shot1948–60Cinematography. (See quots. and cf. cheat, v. 7). Also cheat shot.
- deep focus1948–Photography and Cinematography. A camera technique or configuration utilizing a large depth of field, whereby objects at differing distances…
- master-scene1948–= master shot, n.
- trucking shot1948–Cinematography. (In sense 4 of the verb) trucking shot n. = tracking shot, n.
- two-shot1949–A cinema or television shot of two people together.
- bridging shot1951–A shot inserted to show a change in time, place, etc., between two scenes, for instance showing the pages of a calendar turning, or a train in motion.
- body shot1952–A photograph or sequence of film of a person's entire body, rather than just the head. Cf. head shot, n. 2.
- library shot1953–(See quot.).
- master shot1953–A long shot of a complete sequence of action, which may be intercut with close-ups, etc., when edited.
- mid shot1953–A shot taken at a medium distance; spec. one showing a person from the waist up.
- MS1953–Medium shot.
- pullback1957–Film. A shot in which the scene appears to recede (originally as a result of the camera being pulled back).
- MCU1959–Medium close-up.
- following shot1961–A shot during which the camera follows or tracks the movements of a subject; cf. tracking shot, n.
- come shot1973–A sequence in an erotic or pornographic film showing ejaculation (cf. money shot, n. (b)).
- noddy1982–In a filmed interview: a brief shot of the interviewer (or interviewee) appearing to be listening or nodding in agreement, usually recorded after…
- arc shot1989–A continuous shot in which the camera moves around the subject being filmed.
- pop shot1993–slang. = come shot, n. Cf. pop, v.¹ 12a.
Frequency
zoom shot typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.
zoom shot is in frequency band 2, which contains words occurring between 0.001 and 0.01 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zoom shot, n., 1930–2010
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.
The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.
For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.
| Decade | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 1930 | 0.002 |
| 1940 | 0.0042 |
| 1950 | 0.0053 |
| 1960 | 0.0058 |
| 1970 | 0.0073 |
| 1980 | 0.0089 |
| 1990 | 0.0098 |
| 2000 | 0.011 |
| 2010 | 0.01 |