zatch, n.

zatch
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zatch_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1986; not fully revised

# zatchnoun

## Earlier version

- zatch in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zatch mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zatch. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

#### Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

### How common is the noun zatch?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1950 | 0.0009
1960 | 0.0008
1970 | 0.0007
1980 | 0.0006
1990 | 0.0003
2000 | 0.0004
2010 | 0.0004

### How is the noun zatch pronounced?

#### British English

/zatʃ/

### Where does the noun zatch come from?

Earliest known use

1950s

The earliest known use of the noun zatch is in the 1950s.

OED's earliest evidence for zatch is from 1950, in a letter by Elwyn White.

zatch is perhaps a variant or alteration of another lexical item.

Etymons: satchel n.

### Nearby entries

1. zarda, n. 1899–
2. zardozi, n. 1871–
3. zarf | zurf, n. 1836–
4. zari, n. 1969–
5. zariba, n. 1849–
6. zariba, v. 1885–
7. zarnich, n. 1612–
8. Zarp, n. 1895–
9. zarzuela, n. 1888–
10. zat, n. 1934–
11. zatch, n.1950–
12. zawiya, n. 1836–
13. zawn, n. 1865–
14. zayat, n. 1823–
15. zayde, n. 1946–
16. zazen, n. 1727–
17. zazzy, adj. 1961–
18. Z band, n. 1950–
19. ZBB, n. 1976–
20. Z-bed, n. 1973–
21. Z-car, n. 1961–

## Etymology

### Summary

Perhaps a variant or alteration of another lexical item.
Etymon: satchel n.
Perhaps corruption of satchel n. in similar slang sense.

## Meaning & use

slang.

1. 1950–
   The buttocks; the female genitals; an act of copulation.
   1. 1950

      > You are just sticking out your zatch, and many a tosspan and strutfart will run you through.

      E. B. White, Letter 6 June (1976) 321
   2. 1971

      > Scotsmen playing the bagpipes give me a pain in the prick... Pathan tribesmen playing them is enough to make the harlot of Jerusalem snatch her zatch!

      R. Dentry, Encounter at Kharmel v. 88
   3. 1980

      > You're going to take her home and give her a zatch.

      J. Krantz, Princess Daisy xii. 191
   colloquial and slang
   1. cunt c1230–
      coarse slang in later use. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina. Cf. quaint, n.¹
   2. quiver a1382–1663
      The female genitals; the vagina. Frequently in contextual allusion to sense 1a. Cf. arrow, n. 2b.ii. Obsolete.
   3. chose c1386–98
      Thing (as a general term for a thing not more particularly named). Obsolete.
   4. privy chose a1387–1425
      The vulva.
   5. quoniam c1405–
      The female genitals.
   6. nature c1470–1743
      The female genitals, esp. those of a mare. Obsolete.
   7. shell 1497–
      A shell of this kind (or a vessel resembling one) used for a specific purpose. Used as a target. Scottish, chiefly with indecent allusion (cf. Latin c…
   8. box 1541–
      slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   9. water gate 1541–1719
      slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina. Obsolete.
   10. mouth 1568–1749
       The female external genitals; the vulva, the vagina. In early Scottish use frequently in mouth thankless, i.e. ‘mouth without power of speech’. Obs…
   11. quiver case 1568–
       †a. = quiver, n.¹ 2 (obsolete); b. = quiver, n.¹ 1a.
   12. water gap 1586–1658
       slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina. Obsolete.
   13. cunny a1593–
       The female genitals; the vulva or vagina; = cunt, n. 1. Hence (offensive and often disparaging): a woman, or women collectively, considered as a…
   14. medlar 1597–1665
       slang. The female genitals. Also: a prostitute; a disreputable woman. Cf. also quot. 1627 at medlar tree, n. Obsolete.
   15. mark 1598–1756
       The female genitals, regarded as a sexual target. In quot. 1756: the clitoris. Obsolete.
   16. buggle-boo 1600–74
       slang. Apparently used as a euphemism for ‘the female genitals; the vagina’. Obsolete.
   17. malkin 1602–1795
       Scottish. The female genitals. Cf. merkin, n.¹ Obsolete. rare.
   18. lap 1607
       Applied to certain parts of the body. A fold of flesh or skin; occasionally the female pudendum. Obsolete.
   19. skin coat 1611–93
       slang (chiefly humorous or disparaging). The female genitals. Obsolete.
   20. quim 1613–
       coarse slang. The female genitals; the vulva; the vagina. Also (esp. in later use): sexual intercourse with a woman. Cf. pussy, n. A.3.
   21. nest 1614–
       coarse slang (now U.S.). The female genitals or pubic hair.
   22. watermill a1626–1811
       slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina. Also: a woman as a source of sexual gratification. Obsolete.
   23. bum 1655–1762
       The female genitals. Cf. bumfiddle, v. 2, bumble, v.³, bumble broth, n. 2. Obsolete.
   24. merkin 1656–1874
       slang in later use. The female genitals; = malkin, n. 1b. Obsolete.
   25. twat 1656–
       The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   26. notch 1659–
       In various figurative uses. coarse slang. The female genitals.
   27. commodity 1660–1884
       slang. The female genitals. Obsolete.
   28. modicum 1660–1732
       slang. The female genitalia. Obsolete.
   29. crinkum-crankum 1670–
       A thing which is full of twists and turns; a winding way; something intricately or fancifully elaborated; a mechanical device or toy; a curio…
   30. honeypot 1673–
       slang (frequently euphemistic). The female genitals. Now chiefly U.S.
   31. honour 1688–1724
       concrete. The female genitals. Obsolete.
   32. muff 1699–
       slang. The female pubic hair. Hence also: the vulva, the vagina. Cf. muff-diver, n.
   33. pussy 1699–
       coarse slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   34. puss 1707–
       coarse slang. = pussy, n. A.3.
   35. madge?1732–1886
       slang. (A name for) a woman's genitals; the vulva or vagina. Obsolete.
   36. fud 1771–
       The pubic hair, esp. of a woman. Also: the female genitals. coarse slang in later use.
   37. jock 1790–
       coarse slang. The genitals of a man (or †of a woman).
   38. cock?1833–
       coarse slang. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina. U.S. (chiefly in the Southern states and in African American usage) in later use.
   39. fanny?1835–
       slang (originally and chiefly British). The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   40. vagina c1890–
       colloquial. More generally: the female external genitals or genital area; the vulva and vagina (sense 1a) considered together.
   41. front garden 1893–
       colloquial and euphemistic. The female genitals or pubic hair. Cf. garden, n. 1d.
   42. rug 1893–
       slang. The pubic hair, esp. of a woman; (hence) the female external genitals. Cf. carpet, n. additions.
   43. money-maker 1896–
       slang. The female genitals.
   44. Berkeley 1898–
       The female genitals; = cunt, n. 1.
   45. Berkeley Hunt 1898–
       The female genitals; = cunt, n. 1. Now rare.
   46. twitchet 1899–
       The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   47. minge a1903–
       The female genitals; pubic hair. Hence allusively (derogatory and offensive): women, regarded collectively as objects of sexual gratification.
   48. snatch 1904–
       dialect and slang. The female pudenda. Also attributive. Cf. sense 6b.
   49. beaver 1927–
       The female genitals or the pubic area in general; also attributive, denoting films, literature, etc., in which nude females are portrayed; split b…
   50. coozie 1934–
       The female genitals.
   51. Sir Berkeley 1937–
       In transferred uses, as Sir Harry, Sir Sydney, Sir Timothy (see quots.); Sir Berkeley n. coarse slang the female genital organs; hence transferred…
   52. pocketbook 1942–
       U.S. slang (esp. regional (southern)) (euphemistic). The female external genitals; the vagina.
   53. pranny 1949–
       Originally: the female genitals. Later: an idiot.
   54. zatch 1950–
       The buttocks; the female genitals; an act of copulation.
   55. cooch 1955–
       Originally North American. The female genitals. Cf. cooze, n.² 2.
   56. bearded clam 1962–
       The female external genitals; the vulva, the vagina.
   57. noonie 1966–
       Chiefly British. The female genitals; the vulva or vagina.
   58. chuff 1967–
       Chiefly British. The female pubic hair. Hence also: the female genitals.
   59. cooze a1968–
       The female genitals. Also (as a mass noun): sexual intercourse with a woman.
   60. front bottom 1969–
       The female external genitals, the vulva; cf. front bum, n.
   61. carpet 1981–
       slang. A woman's pubic hair; the female external genitals. Cf. rug, n.³
   62. front bum 1982–
       The female external genitals, the vulva; cf. front bottom, n.
   63. pum-pum 1983–
       coarse slang (originally Caribbean and in British Afro-Caribbean usage). The female external genitals, the vagina. Hence: women considered sexually.
   64. coochie 1986–
       slang (esp. in African American usage). The female genitals. Hence (occasionally): sexual intercourse with a woman. Cf. coozie, n. 2.
   65. punani 1987–
       The female external genitals; the vulva, the vagina. Hence (offensive and chiefly disparaging): a woman considered sexually.
   66. poon 1994–
       slang (originally and chiefly U.S.). offensive. A woman or women generally, regarded as a means of sexual gratification; (also) the female genitals; = poontang, n. 2.
   67. va-jay-jay 2000–
       The female genitals; the vagina.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. arse-ends Old English–1200
      In plural. The buttocks. Obsolete.
   2. flitch Old English–
      The side of an animal, now only of a hog, salted and cured; a ‘side’ of bacon.
   3. cule c1220–1825
      The rump; a buttock.
   4. buttock c1300–
      In the human body: either of the two round fleshy masses (comprising the gluteal muscles and surrounding tissues) situated beneath the lower…
   5. tail 1303–
      The lower and hinder part of the human body; the fundament, posteriors, buttocks, backside. Now dialect and colloquial (chiefly U.S., esp. in…
   6. toute c1305–1500
      The buttocks, fundament, posteriors, rump.
   7. nage a1325
      The buttocks. Cf. nache, n.
   8. fundament c1325–
      The anus or rectum; the buttocks, the backside. Also: the rump or vent of a quadruped or bird. Now chiefly archaic or humorous.
   9. tail-end 1377–1401
      spec. The backside, rump: = tail, n.¹ 5.
   10. brawn a1382–
       spec. The arm, the calf of the leg, the buttock.
   11. bum a1387–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum. Also occasionally: an animal's rump, anus, or rectum.
   12. bewschers?a1400
       In plural. The buttocks.
   13. croupon c1400–1786
       The croup or rump of a horse or other animal; the buttocks or posteriors of the human body; transferred the hinder part of a thing; the crupper of…
   14. rumple c1430–
       A tail, a rump.
   15. lend c1440
       Chiefly plural. The loins; also, the buttocks.
   16. nache c1440–50
       The anus or buttocks of a person.
   17. luddock a1475–1500
       The loin, or the buttock.
   18. rearward a1475–1855
       The haunches; the buttocks. Also in plural. Obsolete.
   19. croup c1475–
       humorously. The rump, posteriors.
   20. rump c1475–
       A person's buttocks; the backside; (in extended use) the anus, the rectum.
   21. dock 1508–
       Originally and chiefly Scottish. A person's bottom or buttocks.
   22. hurdies 1535–
       With plural agreement. The buttocks; the hips. Also figurative the rump, the end or ‘tail’ of anything.
   23. bun c1538–
       The tail of a hare; in Scottish also transferred of human beings. (Cf. tail, n.¹ 1a.) See also bunt, n.⁵
   24. sitting place 1545–1704
       The buttocks, the bottom. Obsolete.
   25. bottom?c1550–
       The buttocks, the posterior; (also) the anus.
   26. prat 1567–
       slang (originally cant). In early use: a buttock. In later use: a person's bottom; the buttocks. Cf. pratfall, n. 1.
   27. nates 1581–
       Chiefly Anatomy and Medicine. With plural agreement. The buttocks.
   28. backside 1593–
       The buttocks, the bottom.
   29. crupper 1594–
       The buttocks (of a man). Usually humorous.
   30. posteriorums 1596–1679
       humorous. The buttocks, the posterior.
   31. catastrophe 1600
       humorously. The posteriors. Obsolete.
   32. podex 1601–
       The buttocks, the rump. Also: the anus; †the cloaca of an animal (obsolete). Now humorous.
   33. posterior 1605–
       colloquial and humorous. In early use in plural, now usually singular. A person's buttocks. Also: the rump or backside of an animal.
   34. seat 1607–
       The sitting part of the body; the posteriors. Also jocularly, seat of honour (and nonce-variations).
   35. poop 1611–
       The hinder part of a person or animal; the buttocks, the rump. Now also: the anus. Now U.S. slang.
   36. stern 1631–
       (Arising out of a figurative use of sense 2) The buttocks of a person (chiefly humorous and slang) or animal; the hinder part of any creature.
   37. cheek 1639–
       Either of the buttocks. Usually in plural.
   38. breek a1642
       The buttocks, rump, posterior. Obsolete.
   39. doup 1653–
       colloquial (originally Scottish, later also English regional (northern) and Irish English (northern)). A person's buttocks; the bottom, the…
   40. bumkin 1658–1742
       In singular and plural. A person's bottom or buttocks.
   41. bumfiddle 1661–
       A person's bottom; = bum, n.¹ A.1a.
   42. ass a1672–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum. Also occasionally: an animal's rump, anus, or rectum.
   43. butt 1675–
       colloquial (chiefly English regional (north-western) and U.S. regional (western) in early use, now chiefly North American). A person's buttocks…
   44. quarter 1678
       Any one of four parts of a body or carcass. Usually in plural. Applied to the corresponding parts of a live person or animal (now typically a…
   45. foundation 1681
       The ‘seat’ of the body, the ‘fundament’.
   46. toby 1681–
       The posteriors, the buttocks: esp. in phrase to tickle one's toby. slang.
   47. bung 1691
       = bum, n.¹ & int.² Obsolete. rare.
   48. rear 1716–
       colloquial. The buttocks or backside of a person.
   49. fud 1722–
       The buttocks, the bottom.
   50. sitting part 1737–
       The buttocks, the bottom; also in plural in same sense.
   51. moon 1756–
       slang. In singular and plural. The buttocks. Also: an act of exposing one's buttocks, esp. as a gesture intended to shock or insult.
   52. derrière 1774–
       = behind, n. C.1.
   53. rass 1790–
       coarse slang (originally and chiefly Jamaican). The buttocks; the arse; (in extended use) rubbish, nonsense. Also (occasionally attributive) as a general term of abuse. Also as int.
   54. stern-post 1810
       jocularly. The buttocks. Obsolete.
   55. sit-down 1812–
       colloquial. A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Cf. sit-upon, n. 2.
   56. hinderland 1817–
       (plural) = hinderling, n.² 2 (for which hinderlans is a misprint in editions of Scott).
   57. hinderling 1817–
       n. plural (also -lins). Posteriors, buttocks. Scottish.
   58. nancy 1819–
       The buttocks.
   59. ultimatum 1823–25
       slang. The hinder parts; the buttocks. Obsolete.
   60. behind a1830–
       colloquial. A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the part of a garment that covers the backside.
   61. duff?1837–
       The buttocks; the backside.
   62. botty 1842–
       Esp. in children's language: the bottom, the buttocks.
   63. rear end 1851–
       slang. The posterior of a person or animal; the buttocks.
   64. latter end 1852–
       a. The very end of a period, process, etc.; esp. the end of life, death; (also occasionally) the furthest point or extremity; b. humorous the…
   65. hinder?1857–
       Hindquarters, buttocks; hind legs.
   66. sit 1862–
       colloquial (humorous and euphemistic). The buttocks, the backside.
   67. arse cheek 1865–
       A buttock; (in plural) the buttocks; cf. ass cheek, n.
   68. sit-me-down 1866–
       The bottom, the buttocks.
   69. stern-works 1879–
       The buttocks.
   70. tuchus 1886–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum.
   71. bum cheek c1890–
       (In plural) the buttocks; (occasionally singular) either of the buttocks.
   72. jacksy-pardy 1891–96
       = jacksie, n.
   73. sit-upon 1910–
       The buttocks, the bottom.
   74. can 1913–
       slang (originally and chiefly U.S.). The buttocks, the bottom.
   75. truck-end 1913–
       The buttocks.
   76. sitzfleisch 1916–
       colloquial. The buttocks, the bottom.
   77. B.T.M. 1919–
       Bottom, posterior.
   78. fanny 1919–
       colloquial (originally and chiefly North American). The buttocks, the bottom.
   79. bot 1922–
       The bottom, the buttocks.
   80. heinie 1922–
       The buttocks.
   81. beam 1929–
       transferred. The (width of the) hips or buttocks; esp. in colloquial phrase broad in the beam.
   82. yas yas 1929–
       = ass, n.² 1a.
   83. keister 1931–
       The buttocks.
   84. batty 1935–
       A person's buttocks; the backside. Also: the posterior of a bird or other animal (rare).
   85. bim 1935–
       = bum, n.¹ A.1a.
   86. arse-end 1937–
       slang. The buttocks; the bottom, the backside; = arse, n. A.1a.
   87. twat 1937–
       U.S. regional. The buttocks. Cf. fanny, n.¹ 3. Now rare.
   88. okole 1938–
       The buttocks, the backside. Cf. ass, n.²
   89. bahookie 1939–
       The buttocks, the rectum.
   90. bohunkus 1941–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside.
   91. quoit 1941–
       In extended use. Australian slang. The backside, the bottom. Also occasionally in plural: the buttocks.
   92. patoot 1942–
       = patootie, n. 2.
   93. rusty-dusty 1942–
       colloquial (originally and chiefly in African American usage). The buttocks.
   94. dinger 1943–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum. Sometimes: an animal's rump, anus, or rectum. Cf. ding, n.⁸
   95. jacksie 1943–
       A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside; (also) the anus or rectum. Also occasionally: an animal's rump, anus, or rectum.
   96. dead-ass 1950–
       A person's buttocks or body, used in various phrases expressing that a person is being lazy or slow to act. Cf. ass, n.² 4.
   97. zatch 1950–
       The buttocks; the female genitals; an act of copulation.
   98. ass cheek 1951–
       A buttock; (in plural) the buttocks.
   99. butt cheek 1953–
       (Occasionally, singular) either of the buttocks; (more usually, plural) the buttocks.
   100. culo 1957–
        slang (sometimes derogatory and potentially offensive). Typically in Spanish and Italian contexts: a person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum. Also: a stupid, irritating, or…
   101. ding 1957–
        A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: an animal's rump. Cf. dinger, n.⁴
   102. booty 1959–
        The buttocks.
   103. patootie 1959–
        euphemistic and humorous. The buttocks, the rectum. Frequently figurative and in figurative contexts. Cf. patoot, n.
   104. buns 1960–
        plural. The buttocks; rarely singular, the human posterior. North American slang.
   105. wazoo 1961–
        The buttocks; the anus.
   106. tush 1962–
        = backside, n. A.3.
   107. kazoo 1965–
        U.S. slang. = wazoo, n. (in either sense).
   108. cake 1972–
        slang (originally and chiefly U.S., esp. among African Americans). Frequently in plural. The buttocks; the bottom. Cf. bun, n.² additions.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. swive c1560
      An act of swiving.
   2. fall 1594–1699
      An act of sexual intercourse. Obsolete.
   3. sleep 1612
      With allusion to sleeping together. Obsolete. rare.
   4. fuck 1663–
      coarse slang (see note at fuck, v.). An act of sexual intercourse. Also as a mass noun (esp. in early use): sexual intercourse.
   5. shift 1664–
      slang. Originally: sexual intercourse; an act or instance of this. Now chiefly Irish English: kissing; sexual activity which stops short of…
   6. merry bout 1780
      a. A drinking session; b. slang an act of sexual intercourse.
   7. stroke 1785–
      An act of copulation. slang. rare.
   8. screw?c1845–
      coarse slang. An act of sexual intercourse, esp. of a hasty and casual nature. Also figurative.
   9. charver 1846–
      A promiscuous woman; a prostitute. Hence: women considered sexually; (also) an act of sexual intercourse with a woman.
   10. frig c1864–
       An act of sexual intercourse. Cf. fuck, n. 1a.
   11. fuckee a1866–
       coarse slang. In (frequently disparaging) representations of pidgin English: sexual intercourse; an act of this.
   12. sex act 1888–
       A sexual action or activity, especially the act of sexual intercourse.
   13. grind 1893–
       slang. (An act of) sexual intercourse. Also on the grind.
   14. mount 1896–
       An act of copulation; (Zoology) an act of copulation in which the male climbs on to the female.
   15. poke 1902–
       coarse slang. An act of sexual intercourse; a woman considered as a sexual partner.
   16. tumble 1903–
       slang. An act of sexual intercourse; a woman giving opportunity for this; chiefly in to give (or get) a tumble.
   17. screwing 1904–
       spec. slang (originally U.S.). The action or an act of having sexual intercourse. Cf. screw, v. II.7b.
   18. ride 1905–
       slang. An act of sexual intercourse. Cf. ride, v. III.20a, III.20b.
   19. roll 1910–
       colloquial. An act of sexual intercourse.
   20. trick 1926–
       An instance of the sexual act or any of its variations; usually spec. a prostitute's session with a client. Esp. to turn a trick, to perform a sexual…
   21. lay 1932–
       A woman who is readily available for sexual intercourse; an act of sexual intercourse. slang (originally U.S.). Cf. lay, v.¹ I.2b.
   22. jump 1934–
       An act of copulation; sexual intercourse. slang.
   23. bang 1937–
       An act of sexual intercourse. slang.
   24. knock 1937–
       (An act of) copulation; so on the knock, engaged in prostitution.
   25. shag 1937–
       coarse slang. An act of copulation.
   26. straight?a1940–
       slang or colloquial. Used to denote people or behaviour considered as following or conforming to… U.S. slang. An act of conventional sexual…
   27. a roll in the hay 1945–
       Phrases and Proverbs. to carry hay in one's horns: to be ill-tempered or dangerous (Latin fænum habet in cornu, Horace; from an ox apt to gore…
   28. boffing 1949–
       a. Masturbation (rare); b. (an act of) sexual intercourse.
   29. boff 1956–
       Sexual intercourse; an instance of this. Hence: a sexual partner, esp. a woman.
   30. naughty 1959–
       Frequently euphemistic. Originally and chiefly Australian and New Zealand. An act of sexual intercourse.
   31. root 1961–
       Australian and New Zealand coarse slang. An act of sexual intercourse. Also (chiefly with modifying word): a person (esp. a woman) considered in…
   32. shtup 1964–
       Chiefly in Jewish usage: an act of sexual intercourse.
   33. home run 1967–
       slang (chiefly North American). Sexual intercourse, as the last of four stages in a scheme which likens sexual activity to rounding the bases in…
   34. seeing to 1970–
       An act of sexual intercourse. Usually premodified by an intensifying adjective. Esp. in to give (a person) a (good, etc.) seeing to: to have…
   35. legover 1975–
       An act of sexual intercourse. Cf. to get (also †lay, †lift, have, throw) one's leg over at leg, n. phrases P.3e.
   36. bonk 1978–
       slang. An act of sexual intercourse. Cf. bonk, v. 3, bonking, n. 2.
   37. zatch 1980–
       The buttocks; the female genitals; an act of copulation.
   38. boning 1982–
       slang (originally U.S.). An act of sexual intercourse; an act of penetration with the penis. Also as a mass noun. Cf. later bone, v.¹ 8.
   39. porking 1988–
       (The action of having) sexual intercourse; an instance of this. Cf. pork, v. 3.
   40. boink 1989–
       slang. An act of sexual intercourse. Cf. bonk, n. B.3.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zatʃ/

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

## Frequency

zatch typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.

zatch is in frequency band 1, which contains words occurring fewer than 0.001 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zatch, n., 1950–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1950 | 0.0009
1960 | 0.0008
1970 | 0.0007
1980 | 0.0006
1990 | 0.0003
2000 | 0.0004
2010 | 0.0004

zatch, n. was first published in 1986; not fully revised.

zatch, n. was last modified in December 2024.