zapverb
Factsheet
What does the verb zap mean?
There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb zap. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
zap has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
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 verb zap?
| 1940 | 0.017 |
| 1950 | 0.048 |
| 1960 | 0.088 |
| 1970 | 0.17 |
| 1980 | 0.26 |
| 1990 | 0.34 |
| 2000 | 0.39 |
| 2010 | 0.44 |
How is the verb zap pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the verb zap come from?
Earliest known use
1940s
The earliest known use of the verb zap is in the 1940s.
OED's earliest evidence for zap is from 1942, in a text by Lester V. Berrey, lexicographer, and Melvin Van den Bark.
zap is an imitative or expressive formation.
Nearby entries
- Zante, n.1615–
- Zantedeschia, n.1836–
- ZANU, n.1963–
- zany, n. & adj.1582–
- zany, v.1602–1894
- zanyish, adj.1843–
- zanyism, n.1823–
- zanyship, n.1766–1839
- Zanzibari, n. & adj.1882–
- zap, n.1968–
- zap, v.1942–
- zap, int.1929–
- Zapata, n.1962–
- zapateado, n.1845–
- Zapatism, n.1911–
- Zapatismo, n.1913–
- Zapatist, n. & adj.1911–
- Zapatista, n. & adj.1911–
- zapote, n.1842–
- Zapotec, n. & adj.1797–
- zappe, v.c1600
Etymology
Summary
Meaning & use
- I.transitive.
- I.1.a.1942–To kill, esp. with a gun; to deal a sudden blow to.
- 1942
Kill; murder,..wipe out, work off, zap.
L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark, American Thesaurus of Slang §118/3 - 1965
Zap..means to clobber.
Time 10 December 34 - 1966
Zap, v., to slap... I got zapped when I tried that.
Current Slang (University South Dakota) Fall 6 - 1969
In Vietnam a man knocked out was said to be zapped.
I. J. C. Brown, Rhapsody of Words 143 - 1970
A council workman on-duty during the week zapped any rat foolish enough to wiggle a whisker within a hundred yards of the place.
Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 14 December 3/3 - 1971
He wants to prove a Hanoi man can zapp a Saigon man.
Sunday Times 28 March 9/1 - 1971
This year the system has zapped the counter-culture member in the sneakiest way of all, by robbing him of a decent way of making a living after graduation.
Radio Times 18 November 15/4 - 1977
Proto..fires a beam of electrons at the pellet, zapping it with a jolt equal to 8 trillion watts.
Time 6 June 55/2 - 1979
You can't run a darkroom without plug-in power, so you'd better make it electrically safe or you might get zapped!
Modern Photography October 64 - 1981
God is not going to zap women for coming forth.
Observer 2 August 10 - 1982
Unbureaucratically, any bugger who shoots, you zap.
N. Freeling, Wolfnight 161 - 1984
Teenager Vickie Parker was zapped to death by 640 volts of electricity when she wandered onto the tracks of an elevated train and accidentally touched the ‘live’ third rail.
Weekly World News 25 December 29/1 - 1985
In a New York restaurant, a young man celebrating with friends was zapped in the face by a man with an aerosol spray can.
New York Review of Books 9 May 23/3 (advertisement)
- aquellOld English–1330To slay, destroy, put an end to.
- asweveOld English–1384transitive. To put to sleep; to stun; in Old English to put to death.
- ayeteOld Englishtransitive. To kill, destroy.
- beliveOld English–1275transitive. To deprive of life.
- drepeOld English–1540transitive. To strike, kill, overcome.
- fordoOld English–transitive. To put (a living being) out of existence, to kill; to put an end to (life). Obsolete exc. archaic.
- forfareOld English–1605transitive. To cause to perish, destroy.
- forleseOld English–1664To destroy, cause to perish, cut off.
- martyrOld English–transitive. To put to death as a martyr.
- of-fallOld English–1400transitive. To destroy, kill.
- ofslayOld English–1500transitive. To slay, kill off. Also figurative.
- quellOld English–1817transitive. To kill, put to death (a person or animal); to strike so as to kill. Also (occasionally) intransitive. Obsolete.
- quelmOld English–1425transitive. To torment; to kill, destroy.
- slayOld English–To strike or smite so as to kill; to put to death by means of a weapon; also generally, to deprive of life by violence.
- spillOld English–transitive. To destroy by depriving of life; to put (or bring) to death; to slay or kill.
- sweveOld English–1275transitive. To put to sleep (or to death), lull to rest; also, to stupefy.
- to bring (also do) of (one's) life-dayOld English–A day or some period of a person's life; (chiefly in plural) a person's life or lifetime, ‘(all) the days of (one's) life’.
- to do (also i-do, draw) of lifeOld English–1400to do (also i-do, draw) of life: to kill, destroy. Obsolete.
- off-quellc1175
- quenchc1175–transitive. To oppress, crush; †to kill, destroy (obsolete). Occasionally with †out. Now rare.
- forswelta1225–1400transitive. To cause to perish, to kill.
- adeadc1225–50transitive. To kill, put to death, destroy; to deaden, mortify. Also figurative.
- murder?c1225–transitive. Frequently hyperbolical. To cause grievous emotional or mental pain to; to wound (the heart); to destroy, annihilate, put an end to (a…
- to bring of daysc1225–1522to do (also bring) of days and variants: to deprive of life, to kill. Cf. bring, v. 3a.ii, life-day, n. Obsolete.
- to do to deathc1225–to do to death: (a) To kill violently (now archaic and rare); (b) colloquial to repeat too often or ad nauseam, overdo.
- to draw (a person) to deathc1225–30to draw (a person) to death: to put (a person) to death. Cf. to draw of life at life, n. phrases P.12a.ii. Obsolete.
- aslayc1275–1315To slay, kill. (?= Old English ofsleán.)
- forferec1275–1400transitive. To destroy.
- to lay to ground, to earth (Sc. at eird)c1275–1513to lay to ground, to earth (Sc. at eird): to stretch upon or bring to the ground; to bring low, throw down, overthrow, destroy. Obsolete.
- martyrc1300–1794transitive. To kill, esp. cruelly or violently. Also with down. Obsolete.
- strangle1303–1751Said of a wild beast, a devil. Obsolete.
- destroya1325–To put out of existence (living beings); to deprive of life; to slay, kill.
- misdoa1325–1619transitive. To harm or mistreat physically; to destroy, put out of existence. Also (reflexive): to injure or kill oneself. Obsolete.
- killc1330–To put to death; to deprive of life; to slay, slaughter. In early use implying personal agency and the use of a weapon; later, extended to any means…
- tailc1330To cut up, cut to pieces, slaughter. Obsolete.
- : to take a person's life: to deprive a person of life, to kill a person. Also to take the life of (also †fro). to take one's (own) life: to kill…
- enda1340–1639To make an end of (a person); to kill. Obsolete.
- With complement expressing the result: to kill to (†into, unto) death, to kill dead. (Cf. German totschlagen, Dutch doodslaan.)
- brittena1375–1540transitive. To cut into pieces; to kill, slay, butcher. Obsolete.
- to ding to deathc1380–1700transitive. to ding to death (also dead) and variants: to strike dead; to kill. Obsolete (chiefly Scottish in later use).
- mortifya1382–1692transitive. To deprive of life; to kill, put to death. Also: to render insensible. Occasionally intransitive: to kill. Obsolete.
- perisha1387–1822To cause the death of; to kill, put to death. transitive. In past participle with to be. = sense I.1a. Obsolete.
- to dight to death1393–1817figurative. To put into a specified state or condition; esp. in to dight to death, to put to death, kill, slay (see also I.2). Obsolete.
- colea1400To ‘cut off’, kill, slay.
- deada1400–transitive. To cause to die; to put to death, kill, slay, destroy. Now chiefly in representations of children's and nonstandard speech, or for…
- fella1400–transitive. More generally: to kill (a person or animal). Now rare (Scottish in later use).
- With adverbial complements, as kill out (away, †down, †up), kill off, to cut off completely, to remove, extinguish, or get rid of (a number, a…
- swelta1400–00To cause to perish. Obsolete.
- to slay up or downa1400–1596to slay up or down, to kill completely or outright; to annihilate. Obsolete.
- voida1400–50To bereave or deprive of life. Obsolete. rare.
- deliverc1400–50transitive. To finish or dispose of (something) rapidly; to kill (a person) quickly. Obsolete.
- starvec1425–transitive. To cause (a person or animal) to die, to kill; to bring to the point of death (by, for, or with). Now only (archaic, English regional, or…
- jugylc1440transitive. To kill, slay.
- morta1450transitive. To put to death.
- to bring to, on, or upon (one's) bierc1480–1559to bring to, on, or upon (one's) bier: to bring to the grave or to death, to put to death; in passive, to meet one's death, die. Obsolete.
- to put offc1485–transitive. Chiefly Scottish and English regional (northern). To kill, do away with. Cf. to put down 4 at phrasal verbs 4. Now rare.
- to-slaya1500transitive. To strike or knock to pieces; to strike down violently; also, to kill outright.
- to make away with1502–intransitive. To put (a person) out of the way, put to death; euphemistic to kill. Cf. to make away 3 at phrasal verbs 3. Now frequently reflexive.
- to put (a person or thing) to silencec1503–1616To kill (a person); to put to death. Also figurative. Cf. sense A.2b. Obsolete.
- rida1513–transitive. To remove by violence; to kill, destroy. Also with away. Now archaic and rare.
- to put downa1525–transitive. To kill, put to death. Now chiefly (euphemistic): to kill (an old, sick, or injured animal) in a humane manner. Cf. to put to sleep at…
- to put (also †bring, †take, †rid, etc.) out of the way: to get rid of, do away with, esp. to kill. Also with a verb expressing the means of the…
- dispatch?1529–To get rid of or dispose of (a person) by putting him or her to death; to make away with, kill.
- strikea1535–To deprive (a person) suddenly of life, or of one of the faculties, as if by a physical blow. Often with complement, as to strike dead, blind, deaf,…
- occidea1538–1815transitive. To kill.
- With adverbs: To drive, force, or move sharply and suddenly off, out, up; †to cut off (someone's head). Also dialect to drive or ‘ferret’ out…
- to fling to deathc1540–To put (a person) suddenly or violently into prison, confinement, or the like; ‘to force into another condition, properly into a worse’ (Johnson)…
- extinct1548–87= extinguish, v. 3f.
- transitive. To bring to a specified condition (frequently death); to reduce to. Frequently in to make out of the way (also to make hence): to…
- to fet offa1556–1630Idiomatically combined with adverbs: see fetch, v. phrasal verbs to fet again: to restore to consciousness. to fet in: to take in a supply of. to f…
- to make away?1566–1874transitive. = to make away with at phrasal verbs PV.1; (also) to put an end to (a person's life). Cf. sense VI.61.
- to cut off1568–transitive. To kill or cause the death of (a person), esp. suddenly or prematurely; to bring to an untimely end. Frequently in passive.
- occise1575transitive. To kill, slay.
- spoil1578–1726To destroy, bring to an end. Obsolete.
- senda1586–To cause (a person) to be carried or conducted to a destination. In various phrases with the meaning to kill, put to death.
- to put away1588transitive. To kill (a person); to put (an animal) down. Also: to bury, dispose of the remains of (a dead person). Now colloquial.
- exanimate1593–1657transitive. (a) To deprive of life; to kill. (b) To deprive of the appearance of life; to render breathless or unconscious. Obsolete.
- unmortalize1593–1623transitive. To kill.
- speed1594–To dispatch, destroy, kill (a person, etc.).
- unlive1594–1866transitive. To deprive of life, cause to die; to kill. Also figurative. Obsolete.
- execute1597Hence for: To put to death, kill. rare.
- dislive1598–1631transitive. To deprive of life; to put out of life, to kill.
- extinguish1598–1670To make away with, kill (an individual).
- to lay along1599transitive. To stretch at full length (also, all along); hence, to lay low, prostrate; to destroy, overthrow, kill.
- to make hence1605transitive. To bring to a specified condition (frequently death); to reduce to. Frequently in to make out of the way (also to make hence): to…
- conclude1606–1862To put an end to, ‘do for’ (a person). (Now humorous.)
- kill off1607With adverbial complements, as kill out (away, †down, †up), kill off, to cut off completely, to remove, extinguish, or get rid of (a number, a…
- disanimate1609–transitive. To deprive of life or consciousness; to render lifeless or inanimate; to kill. Also: to reverse the process of endowing with life or…
- feeze1609–The threat ‘I'll feeze you’ seems to have given rise to the following senses. vaguely, To ‘do for’, ‘settle the business of’ (a person, a person's…
- to smite, †stab in, under the fifth rib: to strike to the heart. literal and figurative.
- to kill dead1615With complement expressing the result: to kill to (†into, unto) death, to kill dead. (Cf. German totschlagen, Dutch doodslaan.)
- transporta1616To remove from this world to the next: cf. translate, v. II.10. Obsolete.
- spatch1616transitive. To slay, kill.
- to take off1619–transitive. Esp. of a disease or other cause of death: to kill, to ‘carry off’.
- mactate1623transitive. To kill or slay.
- to make meat of1632–A dead person, a corpse; a dying person, an intended victim, a ‘goner’. Also in later use: a victim of violence. Originally often with allusion to…
- to turn up1642–transitive. To lay (a person or animal) on the back; to turn (an animal) belly upwards; (hence) to kill (an animal, esp. a whale: cf. sense 13b).
- inanimate1647transitive. To deprive of life.
- pop1649–slang. transitive. To kill, destroy. Usually with off.
- enecate1657–1721transitive. To kill outright. In quot. absol.
- cadaverate1658To render lifeless; to reduce to dead matter.
- deaden1673–transitive. To make (something, esp. a bodily tissue or organ) dead, or apparently dead; to numb or take away the sensitivity of (a tissue or organ).
- expedite1678To get (a person) out of the way; to get rid of, dispatch. Obsolete.
- to make dog's meat of: to cut or beat up; to reduce to carrion fit for dogs. Cf. to make mincemeat of at mincemeat, n. 2.
- figurative. Something reduced to small fragments; a jumble, or clumsy mixture of such fragments. Frequently in to make mincemeat of and similar…
- sluice1749–To drain of blood, to kill. rare.
- finisha1753To complete the destruction of; to dispatch, kill. Also in weaker sense: To complete the discomfiture or defeat of; to reduce to complete…
- royna1770transitive. To cut down, slay. Obsolete. pseudo-archaic.
- still1778To ‘quiet’ by killing or stunning. ? slang.
- do1780–transitive. slang. To assault with blows, beat up; to defeat; to finish off, kill.
- deathifyc1810–transitive. To deprive of life, force, or vitality.
- to lay out1829–To stretch out and prepare (a body) for burial; hence (slang) to stretch out in death, to lay low, to ‘do for’; figurative to put ‘hors de combat’…
- cool1833–figurative. transitive. U.S. slang. To kill. Also with out.
- to use up1833–transitive. colloquial (chiefly U.S.). To kill.
- puckeroo1840–transitive. To break, destroy, ruin; to kill. Cf. puckeroo, adj., puckerooed, adj.
- to rub out1840–transitive. slang (chiefly U.S.). To wipe out, kill; to murder, assassinate.
- cadaverize1841–transitive. To make into a corpse; to make cadaverous.
- to put under the sod1847–under the sod: dead and buried; to put under the sod: to kill. colloquial and dialect.
- suicide1852–transitive. To kill (a person) so as to make it appear a suicide. Also: to cause (a person) to take his or her own life.
- outkill1860transitive. To finish killing, kill outright. Obsolete. rare.
- top1865–slang. transitive. To kill (a person); to murder.
- to fix1875–Originally and chiefly U.S. to fix (a person): to deal with, settle or ‘do for’ (a person); to kill (a person). to fix it: to arrange matters. any way…
- to put under1879–transitive. colloquial. To bury (a person); (also) to kill.
- corpse1884–transitive. To make a corpse of, to kill.
- stiffen1888–transitive. To make rigid; to take away the natural suppleness or mobility of (the limbs, joints, muscles, etc.). Also figurative; slang to make a…
- tip1891–To give a ‘tip’ to; to furnish (a person) with private information as to the chances of some event; to warn, alert, or inform (a person); to make…
- to do away with1899–intransitive. to do away with. To kill, murder. Cf. to make away with 1 at make, v.¹ phrasal verbs 1.
- to take out1900–transitive. slang. To dispose of (a troublesome or unwanted person or thing); to destroy or obliterate (a specific target); to kill, murder; to…
- stretch1902–To lay (a person) flat. Also (now dialect), to straighten the limbs (of a dead person); to ‘lay out’ for burial (= streek, v. 2); (slang), to kill…
- red-light1906–transitive. U.S. slang (chiefly in the language of people who work on travelling shows, such as carnivals, circuses, etc.). To force (a person)…
- huff1919–Military slang. To kill.
- skittle1919–To knock down (skittles, etc.); Cricket, to bowl out (batters) in rapid succession. Also figurative: to kill, defeat easily.
- to knock rotten1919–Australian slang. to knock rotten: to kill or stun; to knock out.
- liquidate1924–To put an end to, abolish; to stamp out, wipe out; to kill.
- clip1927–transitive. North American slang. To kill, esp. by shooting.
- hit1927–transitive. slang (originally U.S.). To commit a crime, esp. an act of robbery, against (a person or place). Cf. hit, n. 5a.
- to set over1931–To kill or murder. U.S. Criminals' slang.
- creasea1935–transitive. To stun (a horse, etc.) by a shot in the ‘crest’ or ridge of the neck. Also, to stun (a person); to kill; to exhaust physically; to crea…
- ice1941–transitive. U.S. slang. To kill, murder.
- lose1942–To dispose of, eliminate, or remove (something perceived as inconvenient or unwanted); occasionally, to kill. colloquial.
- to put to sleep1942–figurative. The repose of death. (Usually with qualifying terms or phrases.) to put to sleep, to kill, esp. painlessly; also figurative.
- zap1942–To kill, esp. with a gun; to deal a sudden blow to.
- to take down1967–transitive. slang. To kill (a person); to defeat or dispose of (an opponent, rival, etc.). Also: to destroy or disable (an object, esp. a military…
- wax1968–To kill; to murder. Cf. waste, v. I.4c. slang (originally Military).
- trash1973–To injure seriously, destroy or kill (someone or something). U.S. colloquial.
- ace1975–transitive. U.S. slang. To kill. Also figurative.
- shootOld English–transitive. To wound or kill with a missile from a bow or firearm (in early use, occasionally with a spear or javelin). Const. with. †Also, to assail…
- shootc1275–Amplified with dead or to death added.
- to blow away1523–transitive. To destroy or obliterate in an explosion, or with a firearm; to subject to an explosion, to blow up; (in extended use) to ruin…
- carry1653transitive. To shoot (an animal) down. Obsolete. rare.
- stop1845–To bring down (a bird) with the gun. Also, to arrest the rush of (a charging enemy or wild beast) with rifle-fire. (Said also of the bullet and of…
- transitive. With adverbs and adverbial phrases. to shoot (a person) down: to kill by a shot (usually with suggestion of merciless cruelty or…
- blow1871–To produce by blowing or shooting.
- ventilate1872–slang. transitive. To shoot (a person or thing) with a gun, usually to kill. Also of a bullet: to make a hole in (something).
- Maxim1894–transitive. To kill with a Maxim gun.
- poop1917–transitive. To fire (a bullet, shell, or other projectile), to discharge (a gun); frequently with off. Also: to shoot (a person or animal). Also figur…
- to blow apart1920–Shooting. To shatter (a game bird) in shooting; more explicitly to blow to pieces. So (U.S. slang) to blow apart.
- smoke1926–To shoot (a person) with a firearm. U.S. slang.
- clip1927–transitive. North American slang. To kill, esp. by shooting.
- cowboy1941–slang or colloquial. intransitive and transitive with it as object. To commit violent or daring crimes, esp. murder or armed robbery, in a…
- zap1942–To kill, esp. with a gun; to deal a sudden blow to.
- Sten-gun1949–transitive to shoot at or kill with a Sten gun.
- to light up1967–transitive. U.S. colloquial. To kill (a person) or destroy (a thing) with gunfire; to riddle with ammunition; to shoot up.
- slot1987–To kill or injure (a person) by shooting. Army slang.
the world movement impact striking striking in specific manner [transitive verbs] strike in specific manner suddenly- flap?a1400–1843transitive. To strike with a sudden blow. Also with down, in sunder. In later use chiefly implying a stroke with a blunt weapon. Obsolete exc. dialect…
- flop1888–To strike with a sudden blow. to flop up (the eyes): to bung up; = flap, v. 1. dialect.
- zap1942–To kill, esp. with a gun; to deal a sudden blow to.
society armed hostility military equipment operation and use of weapons action of propelling missile discharge of firearms [transitive verbs] fire (a gun) shoot (a person or thing)- shoot1617transitive. To wound or kill with a missile from a bow or firearm (in early use, occasionally with a spear or javelin). Const. with. †Also, to assail…
- guna1679–transitive. Chiefly U.S. colloquial. To shoot or shoot at (a person, animal, etc.) with a gun. Also with adverbial complement. Cf. to gun down 1 at…
- to bird off1688–1700transitive. to bird off: to shoot (people) one by one from a distance in the manner of a hunter shooting birds. In passive in quots. Cf. to pick off…
- to knock downa1744transitive. To strike or fell to the ground with a blow or blows; figurative to overcome, vanquish, cause to succumb. Also, to bring down by a…
- to pick off1745–transitive. Originally Military. To select and eliminate (a member of a group), esp. by shooting carefully from a distance; to aim at and shoot…
- pop1762–transitive. To pick off with a shot; †to shoot down (obsolete).
- drill1808–transitive. To pierce or bore a hole, passage, etc. in (anything); to perforate with or as with a drill or similar tool. Also spec. to shoot with a…
- plug1833–transitive. slang. To shoot (a person); (also) to fire (a bullet) into. Also figurative.
- perforate1838–transitive. U.S. slang. To shoot or stab (a person).
- slap1842–To strike or fire at a person. Also transitive, to throw (in quot. 1957 figurative).
- stop1845–To bring down (a bird) with the gun. Also, to arrest the rush of (a charging enemy or wild beast) with rifle-fire. (Said also of the bullet and of…
- pot1860–transitive. colloquial. To shoot or kill (game, etc.) for food rather than for sport (cf. pot-hunter, n. 2a, pot-shot, n.¹ 2); to bring down or…
- spot1882–transitive. U.S. slang. To shoot (a person); to kill (a person). Cf. on the spot, adv. & adj.phrases P.2a. Now rare.
- plunk1888–transitive. Chiefly U.S. To hit, to wound; to shoot.
- pip1900–transitive. Originally Military. To hit or wound with a shot from a gun.
- souvenir1915–transitive. Military slang. In the First World War (1914–18): to pierce or wound with a shell or bullet. Cf. souvenir, n. 2c.
- poop1917–transitive. To fire (a bullet, shell, or other projectile), to discharge (a gun); frequently with off. Also: to shoot (a person or animal). Also figur…
- spray1922–transferred. To subject to a rapid succession or shower of bullets, shot, etc.
- smoke1926–To shoot (a person) with a firearm. U.S. slang.
- to gun down1927–transitive. To kill or maim (a person, animal, etc.) by shooting, esp. in a ruthless or determined manner; to cause (an aircraft, bird, etc.) to…
- zap1942–To kill, esp. with a gun; to deal a sudden blow to.
- pot-shoot1969–transitive and intransitive. To take a pot-shot at (a person or animal); to take pot-shots. Also figurative.
- I.1.b.1976–To put an end to, do away with.
- 1976
We can zap a headache almost immediately.
Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 22 April 21/4 - 1982
Atari seeks to zap X-rated video games.
Sunday Sun-Times (Chicago) 17 October 62 (heading)
the world existence and causation creation destruction [transitive verbs] destroy bring to ruin or put an end to- breakOld English–transitive. To put an end to or bring to nothing (something immaterial, such as the power or purpose of a person or group); to defeat, spoil; to…
- endOld English–To put an end to, cause to cease, abrogate, destroy; formerly also to dissolve (a parliament).
- forfareOld English–1605transitive. To cause to perish, destroy.
- shendOld English–To destroy, ruin, bring to destruction. Also, in milder sense, to injure, damage, spoil.
- to do awayOld English–transitive. To put an end to, abolish, destroy, undo. Cf. to do away with. Now literary.
- undoOld English–To destroy; to bring to naught; to do away with; to take away, remove. Now rare.
- aquenchc1175–1578figurative. To extinguish, put an end to.
- slayc1175–To destroy, extinguish, put an end to, suppress completely (esp. something bad). Cf. kill, v. 4.
- stathea1200transitive. To put an end to; to stop.
- tinea1300–1591To ruin, destroy, bring to nought: = lose, v.¹ 2. (Cf. Latin perdĕre to destroy, and to lose.)
- to-spilla1300To confound, ruin utterly.
- batec1300–1601transitive. To beat down or away; figurative to put an end to. Obsolete.
- bleschea1325–1440transitive. To quench, extinguish; figurative to put a stop to, blot out.
- honisha1325–1450transitive. To disgrace, dishonour, insult; to destroy, cause to perish.
- leesea1325–1553transitive. To destroy; to bring to ruin or perdition; to spoil. = Latin perdere.
- wastec1325–1689To destroy, annihilate, put an end to (something immaterial, e.g. sin, sorrow). Also with away. Obsolete.
- stanch1338–1828To put an end to (strife, enmity, rebellion, or any mischievous agency or condition). Obsolete.
- corrumpa1340–1489transitive. To bring to naught, destroy, mar, spoil, render useless.
- destroy1340–To bring to nought, put an end to; to do away with, annihilate (any institution, condition, state, quality, or thing immaterial).
- to put awayc1350–transitive. To set aside, renounce, abjure; to dismiss from one's mind. Formerly also: †to abolish, reject, put an end to (obsolete).
- dissolvec1374–To cause to vanish or disappear from existence; to bring to nought, undo, destroy, consume.
- supplanta1382–1753transitive. To ruin or foil, upset (a design, etc.). Obsolete.
- to-shend1382–1500transitive. To ruin or destroy utterly.
- aneantizec1384–1871transitive. To annihilate, destroy (a person or thing); to annul.
- avoidc1384–1685To get rid of, clear away, do away with, put an end to (things immaterial). Obsolete.
- to put outa1398–1890transitive. To put an end to; to destroy, abolish, obliterate. Obsolete.
- beshenda1400transitive. To ruin.
- swelta1400–00To cause to perish. Obsolete.
- amortizec1405–transitive. To extinguish, cancel, render void. Also: to kill. Now rare.
- distract1413–1695figurative. To ‘pull to pieces’, undo, spoil. Obsolete.
- consumec1425–transitive. To kill or destroy (a person). Esp. in later use, of a disease. Also reflexive.
- shelfc1425–transitive. ? To ruin.
- abroge1427–1607transitive. = abrogate, v.
- downthringc1430–1596transitive. To press down, crush; to overthrow; to bring to ruin.
- kill1435–figurative. To destroy, do away with, put an end to, suppress (a feeling, desire, project, or other non-material thing).
- poisonc1450–transitive. To prove harmful or destructive to (an action, state, value, condition, etc.); to spoil.
- defeat1474–transitive. To prevent (a plan, purpose, scheme, etc.) from being achieved or realized; to bring to nought; to frustrate.
- perish1509–1643To destroy, put an end to, or do away with (an institution, practice, condition, faculty, etc.) transitive. In active use with object. Obsolete.
- to blow away1523–transitive. To destroy or obliterate in an explosion, or with a firearm; to subject to an explosion, to blow up; (in extended use) to ruin…
- abrogatea1529–transitive. To do away with, to put an end to; (occasionally) to reject or deny.
- to prick (also turn, pitch) over the perk: to upset; to vanquish, ruin; to be the downfall of. Obsolete.
- dash?1529–figurative. To destroy, ruin, confound, bring to nothing, frustrate, spoil (a design, enterprise, hope, etc.): cf. smash, v.¹ In 16–17th centuries…
- put in the pot1531–to go to (†the) pot: (originally) †to be cooked or eaten, to be cut in pieces like meat for the pot (obsolete); (now figurative and colloquial) to…
- to go to (†the) pot: (originally) †to be cooked or eaten, to be cut in pieces like meat for the pot (obsolete); (now figurative and colloquial) to…
- wipea1538–(from 2.) To clear away, remove: most commonly with adverb (away, off, out). To do away with, put an end to, abolish, annihilate. Now always with out.
- extermine1539–1632= exterminate, v. 2, 3.
- fatec1540transitive. To ruin irrevocably. Obsolete.
- peppera1550–transitive. Now colloquial. To inflict severe suffering or punishment on (a person); to hit repeatedly, beat severely. Also: †to ruin, destroy (obs…
- shipwreck1561–transitive. To bring (something, or occasionally someone) to ruin or destruction; (also) to destroy. Cf. to make shipwreck of.
- disappoint1563–1823transitive. To undo, reverse; to negate, render ineffective; to ruin, cause to fail. Obsolete.
- to put (also set) beside the saddle1563–1702to put (also set) beside the saddle and variants: to unhorse; (hence) to put ‘out of the running’; to defeat the plans of; to marginalize, thwart…
- to cut the throat of1565–to cut the throat of: to ruin; to bring about the defeat or downfall of; to put an end to. Similarly to cut one's own throat: to be the means of…
- to come (also get) off one's perch (colloquial): to adopt a less arrogant or condescending manner. to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or…
- to make a hand of (also on, †with): to spoil, destroy, do away with. to make a hand: to wreak destruction. Now rare (chiefly English regional (nor…
- demolish1570–figurative. transitive. To do away with, put an end to; to have a disastrous effect on, leave in tatters; to negate.
- to make shipwreck of1574–To bring to ruin, to destroy.
- to break the neck of1576–1767To destroy, finish; to bring to an end. Obsolete.
- spoil1578–1726To destroy, bring to an end. Obsolete.
- to knock on (†in) the head (also rarely at head). figurative. To put an end to, bring to nothing.
- cipher1589To make a cipher of, make nought of. Obsolete.
- ruinate1590–1635To overthrow, overturn, subvert utterly. transitive. With an institution, practice, etc., as object. Obsolete.
- to cut off by the shins1592–94In figurative phr.. to cut off by the shins, to leave not a leg to stand on, undermine. Obsolete.
- exterminate1605–1794To get rid of (a thing); to abolish, put an end to, destroy. Obsolete.
- finish1611–To complete the destruction of; to dispatch, kill. Also in weaker sense: To complete the discomfiture or defeat of; to reduce to complete…
- damnify1612–93transitive. To bring (a person, place, etc.) to destruction or ruin. Obsolete.
- ravel1614–1708transitive. With out. To spoil, waste, or destroy (a thing), as by pulling a fabric into threads. Obsolete.
- braina1616transitive. figurative. To destroy completely. Obsolete. rare.
- stagger1629–83figurative. To bring to nought, confound (plots, counsels). Obsolete.
- unrivet1630–transitive. figurative and in figurative contexts. To undo, detach; to pull apart, to tear away; to loosen, relax.
- consummate1634–49transitive. To put an end to; to terminate. Obsolete.
- pulverizea1640–transitive. figurative. transitive. To demolish, destroy, defeat; to break down utterly.
- baffle1649–1812To confound, bring to confusion, bring to nought. Obsolete.
- devil1652transitive. To lead (a person) to sin; to tempt, seduce, corrupt. Obsolete.
- to blow up1660–1791figurative. to blow up. To destroy, put an end to; to ruin. Obsolete.
- feague1668–90To ‘do for’, ‘settle the business of’; = fake, v.² 1a.
- shatter1683–figurative, or with immaterial object. Also, to damage or destroy the fortunes of (a person or body of persons).
- cook1708–transitive. slang. To inflict great and irretrievable damage on (a person or thing); to ruin. Cf. to cook one's goose at goose, n. 1d.
- to die away1748transitive. To cause (something) to die or come to an end. Obsolete. rare.
- Producing or resulting in death, destruction, or irreversible ruin, material or immaterial; deadly, destructive, ruinous. Const. to. Also in phrase…
- to knock up1764–transitive. To break up, destroy, put an end to.
- to knock (or kick) the hindsight out or off: to dispose of or demolish completely. U.S. colloquial.
- to put the kibosh on1834–colloquial and slang. to put the kibosh on: to put a stop to (someone or something); to interrupt or prevent (a plan or course of action); to bring…
- In phrases and proverbial sayings. all his (her, etc.) geese are swans: he (she, etc.) invariably exaggerates or over-estimates; so to turn geese…
- kibosh1841–transitive. To put a stop to (someone or something); to bring to an end; = to put the kibosh on at kibosh, n. 1.
- to chaw up1843–slang, chiefly in U.S. to chaw up: to demolish, ‘do for’, ‘smash’.
- cooper1851–To ‘do for’, spoil. slang. (Cf. cooper, n.¹ 1c.)
- to jack up1870–transitive. colloquial and regional. To put in a bad state or situation; to ruin, spoil, mess up. Cf. jacked-up, adj. 1.
- cruel1879–transitive. To spoil (an opportunity, endeavour, etc.); to ruin; to destroy all chance of success with.
- scuttle1888–figurative (esp. in political contexts).
- to bugger up1891–transitive. To ruin, spoil; to damage; to make a mess of; to muddle, mishandle.
- jigger1895–Originally passive, usually with up: to be tired out, exhausted; so, to be ‘done for’, devitalized. Also actively: to break, destroy, ruin. dialect…
- torpedo1895–figurative. To paralyse, destroy: cf. explode, v.
- on the fritz1900–on the fritz: in an unsatisfactory or defective state or condition; (now) esp. (of a machine, device, etc.) out of order, broken. to go on the fritz…
- to put paid to1901–colloquial. to put paid to: to deal finally or effectually with; to place out of contention or consideration; to terminate or thwart (an…
- rot1908–transitive. British colloquial. To spoil or ruin (an action or plan). Also with up.
- down and out1916–transitive. To annihilate or defeat (a person).
- scuppera1918–colloquial. To defeat, ruin, destroy, put an end to.
- stonker1917–transitive. Originally: to kill or destroy (a person or thing). In later use: to render useless or ineffective; to ruin; to defeat decisively.
- plural. In figurative phrases describing impending downfall or defeat; the way to failure or ruin: to put the skids under (a person or thing), to…
- liquidate1924–To put an end to, abolish; to stamp out, wipe out; to kill.
- to screw up1933–colloquial (originally U.S.). transitive. To make a mess of, spoil, ruin; to mismanage, mishandle.
- to dig the grave of1934–In various figurative and proverbial expressions. †into the grave of hell: into the lowest depth. secret as the grave: kept as a close secret. to mak…
- pox1935–transitive. To infect (a person) with the pox (usually with syphilis). Also figurative: to ruin, destroy. Also with up.
- blow1936–transitive. To shatter, destroy, or otherwise act upon by means of explosion. Const. with various adverbs of direction, esp. up; also with such…
- to piss up1937–Now chiefly coarse slang. transitive. To ruin, make a mess of.
- to dust off1938–to dust off. To bring to ruin, defeat, kill; to discard, get rid of. slang (originally U.S.).
- zap1976–To put an end to, do away with.
- I.2.1961–To fail (someone) in a test, course, etc.; to punish (see also quot. 1969).
- 1961
The cadet who is zapped is the recipient of a large number of demerits or other cadet punishments. The term was probably taken from a favorite cadet newspaper comic strip, ‘B.C.’, where zapp is used as the sound of any blow.
American Speech vol. 36 149 - 1969
Zap, v., to ‘put down’; to put someone in his place.
Current Slang (University South Dakota) Winter 12 - 1976
A graduate student whose ‘scholarly potential’ is not overwhelmingly lauded ‘is going to get zapped’.
National Observer (U.S.) 17 January 8/5
- threaOld English–1300transitive. To rebuke, reprove, chastise; to punish; to torment, afflict.
- tightOld English–1240To train, discipline; = tee, v.¹ 3; to chastise.
- beswinkc1175To chastise. rare. (Probably for beswinge.)
- punisha1325–transitive. To cause (an offender) to suffer for an offence, esp. a transgression of a legal or moral code; to subject to a penalty or sanction as…
- chastise1362–To inflict punishment or suffering upon, with a view to amendment; also simply, to punish, to inflict punishment (esp. corporal punishment) on.
- paina1375–1570transitive. Chiefly Law. To inflict a penalty upon; to punish. Obsolete.
- justifya1393–1897transitive. To improve by discipline or punishment; to convict and punish; to punish in accordance with law or justice; esp. (Scottish) to put to…
- wage1412–20Ironically, to reward (for evil). Obsolete.
- reformc1450–1694transitive. To reprove, rebuke; to punish. Obsolete.
- chasten1526–1600To punish, chastise (generally). Obsolete.
- thwart over thumba1529–1632To lay (a thing) athwart or across; to place crosswise; to set or put (things) across each other.
- chastifyc1540–1669transitive. To chastise.
- amerce?1577–1850transitive. To make exactions or inflict punishment on; to punish. Frequently with with. Obsolete.
- follow1579–93transitive. To punish (an offence, an offender). Obsolete.
- to rap (a person) on the knuckles (also fingers) and variants: to punish with a rap on the fingers, knuckles, etc. Frequently figurative: to…
- finea1616transitive. To punish (a person) for an illegal or illicit act by requiring him or her to pay a sum of money. Frequently with the penalty or…
- mulcta1620transitive. To punish (a person, †an offence) by a fine; to exact money from (a person); to tax. Also (occasionally): †to subject to a penalty of…
- fita1625–To visit (a person) with a fit penalty; to punish. Obsolete exc. Australian. Also dialect with out.
- vindicate1632–1770transitive. To punish; to visit with punishment. Obsolete.
- trounce1657–To inflict chastisement upon; to punish; also, to get the better of, defeat.
- reward1714–transitive. To punish (wrongdoing).
- tawse1790–(transitive) to chastise with the taws.
- sort1815–To deal effectively with (a person) by way of punishment, repression, etc.
- colloquial. to let (a person) have it: to beat, strike, attack (a person); (also) to shoot; (in weaker sense) to give a scolding to, to…
- visit1836–To inflict (punishment) on one. rare.
- to give (a person) Jesse: to treat or handle severely; to beat or scold soundly. Similarly to catch or get Jesse.
- to give, get goss1840–to give, get goss: to give, receive punishment.
- to have ita1848–colloquial. To receive, or have received, a beating, punishment, or reprimand; to be injured or killed; to ‘get it’, ‘catch it’; spec. (of a…
- Chiefly North American (colloquial). As the type of a place to which naughty children are taken to be punished; esp. in to take (a person) to the woo…
- to give (one) snuff1890–In colloquial phrases. to give (one) snuff, to deal sharply or severely with; to punish.
- soak1892–colloquial or slang. U.S. slang. To punish, beat, pummel, strike hard, etc.; to criticize harshly, to ‘knock’; to soak it to (one) = to sock it to at…
- give1906–To punish (a person) for (doing something), frequently with reference back to what the other person has just said. slang.
- to weigh off1925–to weigh off: to punish; to convict or sentence. slang (originally Military). Now chiefly Criminals'.
- to tear down1938–to tear down: to punish; to criticize severely. U.S. colloquial.
- zap1961–To fail (someone) in a test, course, etc.; to punish (see also quot. 1969).
- slap1968–transitive. To punish (someone) with a penalty, sentence, etc. North American.
the mind attention and judgement contempt disapproval rebuke or reproof [transitive verbs] rebuke or reprove- begripeOld English–1175To take to task, reprehend.
- threaOld English–1300transitive. To rebuke, reprove, chastise; to punish; to torment, afflict.
- threapOld English–transitive. To rebuke, reprove, chide, scold, blame.
- threatOld English–1300To rebuke, reprove. Obsolete. Cf. threap, v. 1.
- castea1200–25To chasten, chastise.
- chaste?c1225To reprove, rebuke.
- takec1275transitive. To take to task; to rebuke. Obsolete.
- blame1297–1559To address with rebuke; to reprove, chide, scold. Obsolete.
- chastya1300–1487To reprove, rebuke.
- sniba1300–transitive. To reprove, reprimand, rebuke, check sharply or severely. A thing, action, conduct, etc.
- withnima1315–1400To reprove, rebuke.
- undernima1325–1449To reprove, rebuke.
- rebukec1330–transitive. To reprove, reprimand, chide. Also with for, †of. Also intransitive.
- snuba1340–transitive. To check, reprove, or rebuke in a sharp or cutting manner; in later use, to treat or receive (a person, suggestion, etc.) in a way…
- withtakea1340–1400transitive. To ‘take up’, reprove, rebuke.
- reprovec1350–transitive. To rebuke, reprimand, or blame (a person). Frequently with for (also †of).
- chastisea1375–1699To reprove, rebuke, censure. Obsolete.
- arate1377–93To rate, rebuke, reprove.
- challenge1377–To find fault with, reprove, reprehend; to call upon to answer for something, or to give account of oneself; to call to account. Now only dialect…
- undertake1377–1691To reprove, rebuke, chide. Obsolete.
- reprehenda1382–transitive. To rebuke, reprimand, or reprove (a person).
- repreync1390–1400transitive. To reprove, rebuke.
- runta1398–1450transitive. To berate, rebuke.
- snapea1400–To rebuke or snub (a person, etc.) sharply or severely; to check, restrain, or curb (a child); to call off (a dog). Now dialect.
- underfoc1400To reprove, rebuke. rare.
- redarguec1425–1752transitive. To censure, reprove (a person, an action, etc.). Frequently with for, of. Obsolete.
- to call to account1434–to call to account and variants: to summon (a person) to answer for his or her conduct; to require (a person or institution) to explain poor conduct…
- snebc1440–transitive. To reprimand, reprove, or check; to snub. Also absol.
- to put downc1440–transitive. To bring down the presumption, pride, or self-esteem of (a person); to snub; to better in argument, to reduce to silence. Also (now…
- uptakec1440To reprove, rebuke. Obsolete. rare.
- correptc1449transitive. To reprehend, reprove.
- reformc1450–1694transitive. To reprove, rebuke; to punish. Obsolete.
- reprise?c1450–1567transitive. To reprehend, reprove (a person). Obsolete. rare.
- to give (a person) his (also her, etc.) own: to give a person what he or she deserves; esp. to inflict retribution. to tell (a person) his (also her,…
- control1451–1751transitive. To take to task, call to account, rebuke, reprove (a person). Frequently with of, for. Obsolete.
- berisp1481To censure, reprove. (Only in Caxton).
- to hit (†cross) one over (of, on) the thumbs, to punish or reprove sharply, ‘rap one's knuckles’.
- checkc1530–To rebuke, reprove, reprimand. Also with off. Formerly archaic or dialect. Now colloquial.
- admonish1541–transitive. To warn, reprimand, or rebuke (a person) for (formerly also †of) a fault or misdeed.
- nip1548–transitive. To rebuke or reprove; to direct sharp comments against. Cf. nip, n.³ I.1. Now Scottish.
- twig?1550–transitive. To beat with or as with a twig; figurative to reprove. ? Obsolete.
- impreve1552To rebuke, reprove.
- lesson1555–transitive. Without complement. To give a lesson or lessons to (a person); to instruct, advise; (also) to admonish, rebuke. Also intransitive…
- to take down1562–transitive. To lower the opinion of (a person) as to his or her own status or ability; to humble, to humiliate. Also: to check (a person's pride…
- to haul (a person) over the coals and variants: to call (a person) to account; to rebuke or reprimand severely. Cf. to rake a person over the coals…
- increpate1570–1657transitive. To chide, rebuke, reprove.
- touch1570–1845transitive. To accuse, charge; to rebuke, reprove. Obsolete (poetic in later use).
- school1573–transitive. In early use: †to reprimand, scold, admonish (obsolete). To tell (a person) he or she is wrong about something; to dictate to (a…
- to gather up1577to gather up v. To chide, reprove (Latin corripere). Obsolete.
- task1580–To take to task; to censure, reprove, chide, reprehend; = tax, v. II.6. Now const. with.
- redarguate?1590–1transitive. To reprove; = redargue, v. 2.
- expostulate1592–1716To complain of (grievances); to plead or remonstrate with a person about (conduct). Obsolete.
- tutor1599–To instruct under discipline; to subject to discipline, control, or correction; to school; also to admonish or reprove.
- sauce1601–transitive. To reprimand or chastise (a person); to rebuke, scold, admonish. Now rare (English regional (northern) in later use).
- snip1601–To snub, check, repress. Now dialect.
- sneap1611–To check, repress; to snub, reprove, chide.
- to take in tax1635–67to have in tax, to have laid upon one, to have in hand. to take in tax, to take to task.
- to sharp up1647to sharp up: to admonish sharply. Obsolete.
- round1653–1893transitive. Frequently in to round in a person's (also the) ear. With up. To rebuke or reprove (a person). Obsolete.
- threapen1671–To blame, rebuke, chide, reprove: = threap, v. 1.
- reprimand1681–transitive. To deliver a reprimand to (a person); to rebuke, reprove. Also intransitive.
- to take to task1682to take to task: †(a) To undertake as one's task or special piece of work; †(b) to challenge (a person) to a task; †(c) to take (a person or thing)…
- document1690–1802To give a ‘lesson’ to; to instruct or admonish in an authoritative or imperious manner. Obsolete.
- chapter1693–To reprove, take to task.
- repulse1746–99transitive. To rebuke, reprove. Obsolete. rare.
- twink1747–transitive. To chastise.
- to speak to ——1753–intransitive. colloquial. To rebuke, scold, or reprimand (a person). Cf. to talk to —— 2.
- haul1795–colloquial. To bring up for a reprimand, to call to account. Also, to haul over the coals (see coal, n. phrases P.5).
- to pull up1799–transitive. colloquial (originally slang). Originally: to arrest, take into custody; esp. to apprehend and bring before a magistrate. Later in…
- to talk to ——1817–intransitive. colloquial. To rebuke, scold, or reprimand (a person). Cf. talking to, n.
- carpet1840–colloquial. To call (a servant) into the parlour, etc., to be reprimanded; to reprimand, ‘call over the coals’. (Cf. carpet, n. I.2d.)
- rig1841–colloquial. transitive. To make fun of, mock, or tease; to play a trick on.
- Chiefly North American (colloquial). As the type of a place to which naughty children are taken to be punished; esp. in to take (a person) to the woo…
- rawhide1895–U.S. regional (western). transitive. To overwork or mistreat (a person); (also) to attack verbally; to tease; to criticize sharply.
- to tell off1897–transitive. To reprimand, rebuke, scold. Cf. telling-off, n. 2, and also tick, v.¹ 3c.
- intransitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). to tell (someone) where he or she gets off (also to tell (someone) where to get off) and variants: to…
- to get on ——1904–intransitive. U.S. slang. To unsettle, disconcert, or annoy; to reprimand or criticize; to pester.
- to know (also keep) one's place: to behave in a manner appropriate to one's situation, social status, etc. not one's place: outside one's duties…
- strafe1915–transitive. To punish, damage, injure; to attack physically or verbally; (also) to reprimand severely. Also intransitive.
- tick1915–To reprimand or scold. Cf. to tell off 5 at tell, v. phrasal verbs 5. colloquial (originally Military slang).
- woodshed1935–transitive. To reprimand or punish (a person); = to take (a person) to the woodshed at woodshed, n. 2a. Cf. woodshedding, n. 2.
- In figurative phrases. to slap (a person or thing) down: to snub, suppress, or rebuke; to slap (a person's) wrist: to scold or reprimand; to slap (a…
- sort1941–To reprimand (a person); to deal with (a person) by means of force, repression, etc. colloquial.
- bind1942–intransitive. To complain. (In quot. 1942 used transitively, to complain to, to admonish.)
- bottle1946–transitive. Navy slang. To reprimand (a person). Cf. bottle, n.³ 9. rare.
- mat1948–transitive. colloquial. To reprimand (a person, esp. a subordinate). Usually in passive. Cf. carpet, v. 4, mat, n.¹ phrases P.2.
- ream1950–transitive. U.S. colloquial. To reprimand severely. Frequently with out.
- zap1961–To fail (someone) in a test, course, etc.; to punish (see also quot. 1969).
- elder1967–transitive. Of an elder in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers): to admonish (a Friend, esp. for inappropriate behaviour).
- ding1974–U.S. colloquial. transitive. To reprimand or censure (a person) for misconduct, poor performance, etc.; to impose a penalty on. Also: to accuse (a…
society education educational administration examination [transitive verbs] examine a candidate fail a candidate- to turn by1653–1826transitive. To set aside, reject (a candidate, petitioner, etc.). Cf. by, adv. B.4.
- pluck1713–Chiefly slang. transitive. Originally in Oxford University: to reject (a candidate) as not reaching the required standard in an examination (now histo…
- flunk1843–transitive. To cause to ‘flunk’; to pluck.
- plough1854–transitive. colloquial (originally University slang). To reject (a candidate) as not reaching the required standard, esp. the pass standard, in an…
- spin1860–slang. To reject (a candidate) at an examination; to pluck or plough. Usually in passive.
- fail1884–transitive (colloquial). Of an examiner: To report (a candidate) as having failed; to ‘pluck’.
- pill1908–slang. transitive. To fail (a candidate) in an examination. Now rare.
- pip1908–transitive. To reject or disqualify; to fail (a candidate) in an examination. Of a candidate: to fail (an examination).
- zap1961–To fail (someone) in a test, course, etc.; to punish (see also quot. 1969).
- I.3.1967–To overwhelm emotionally.
- 1967
I'll be zapped with love, blow the mind of straight people.
Punch 26 July 123/1 - 1970
If the music doesn't zap you..you can contemplate..movies on the wall.
New Yorker 22 July 4/3 - 1971
Our politicians turn to the architects, presuming them to be the theatrical stage managers of the city to zap the masses with compelling masques and follies.
Daily Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia) 30 May 47/1 - 1974
If The Book is published in time, and the right people in Washington read it, it's going to really zap them.
A. Lurie, War between Tates (1977) vi. 134 - 1977
Bring you own sounds!!, and get zapped.
It May 31/3 (advertisement) - 1983
A well-known evangelist invited the undergraduates of Oxford to allow themselves to be ‘zapped by the Holy Spirit’.
Theology January 15
the mind operation of the mind expectation feeling of wonder, astonishment quality of inspiring wonder [transitive verbs] cause wonder, astonish- marvela1425–transitive. To cause to wonder; to astonish; to stupefy. Now rare.
- esmarvel1477–1509transitive. To astonish.
- amaze?1533–transitive. To greatly surprise (a person); to fill with astonishment or wonder; to astound.
- wondera1561–1788To affect or strike with wonder; to cause to marvel, amaze, astound. (See also 1f) Obsolete.
- to hold at gaze1578–at gaze, †at a or the gaze; said of a deer (now chiefly Heraldry: see quot. 1828 –40), also of persons: in the attitude of gazing, esp. in wonder…
- bewondera1586–1600transitive. To fill with wonder, or admiration; esp. in bewondered adj.
- admire1598transitive. To cause (a person) to feel wonder, astonishment, or surprise. Obsolete. rare.
- wonder-maze1603–05(intransitive and transitive) to be amazed, or to amaze, with wonder.
- astonish1611–To give a shock of wonder by the presentation of something unlooked for or unaccountable; to amaze, surprise greatly. Also absol.
- thunderstrike1613–figurative. To strike as with ‘thunder’. To strike with amazement, astonish greatly. Obsolete except as in thunderstricken, thunderstruck.
- surprise1655–To affect with the characteristic emotion caused by something unexpected; to excite to wonder by being unlooked-for. †Formerly also in stronger sense…
- shock1730–transitive. To surprise (a person) greatly; to astonish. Also: to give (a person) a shock or unpleasant surprise; to startle.
- colloquial (originally U.S.). to astonish the natives: to shock or otherwise profoundly affect public opinion.
- emmarvel1834–transitive. To fill with wonder.
- zap1967–To overwhelm emotionally.
- mind-blow1970–transitive. To astonish or overwhelm; to ‘blows one's mind’ (see blow, v.¹ II.v.24j).
- gobsmack1987–transitive. To amaze, astound.
- I.4.1967–To send, put, or hit in a forceful way.
- 1967
For quick acceleration..the nickel-cadmium batteries would cut in briefly, could zap the car from a standstill to 50 m.p.h. in 20 seconds.
Time 22 December 56 - 1972
I nosed the car out of town and on to 118, where I zapped it into high.
D. Delman, Week to Kill 139 - 1974
Computers zap farmers through space-age door.
Farm & Country 9 April 11 (heading) - 1976
Won't they be surprised when Ms. Klutz limberly zaps the ball over the net.
National Observer (U.S.) 29 May 12/4
- chase1340–transitive. To drive forcibly and precipitately from, out of, to, into, etc. (a place or position).
- rushc1384–Chiefly with adverb or adverbial phrase. transitive. To cause to move with great speed and force; to impel violently. Now rare.
- runa1425–transitive. To thrust, push; esp. to push violently or forcibly in a specified direction, to drive, dash. Chiefly with against, into, or through.
- swingc1540–82transitive. To carry or drive forcibly. Obsolete.
- hurricano1702–transitive. To whirl or drive as a hurricane.
- barge1903–transitive. Chiefly with adverbs or prepositional phrases indicating direction. To move (someone or something) roughly or forcefully; to push, to…
- zap1967–To send, put, or hit in a forceful way.
the world movement rate of motion swiftness swift movement in specific manner [transitive verbs] move or cause to move swiftly in specific manner cause to move swiftly and vigorously- zap1967–To send, put, or hit in a forceful way.
- I.5.1972–To demonstrate against or at.
- 1972
Homosexuals..‘zap’ (confront) politicians until they express themselves..on equal housing..for homosexuals.
Saturday Review (U.S.) 12 February 24/1 - 1980
Columbia and Warner Bros. were ‘zapped’ last week; this Tuesday it's the turn of 20th Century Fox. An itinerant army of 1,000 striking actors..will parade at the old studio's grimy portals.
Observer 3 August 8/5
society authority lack of subjection rebelliousness militancy [transitive verbs] engage in militancy in demonstrate against or at- zap1972–To demonstrate against or at.
- I.6.1982–Computing. To erase or change (an item in a program).
- 1982
When the program is erased, the PROM is said to be ‘zapped’.
Times 14 January (Information Technol. Supplement) p. v/5 - 1983
On DRS 304, RB 2C you will find the byte to be 20H. Zap this to 18H.
80 Microcomputing January 29/3 - 1983
Since I keep a hard copy listing of the assembly of MODEM7, the easiest thing to do was to zap the offending byte.
Your Computer September 86/1
society computing and information technology programming language program or code [transitive verbs] change- switch1960–transitive. In electrical apparatus: To direct (a current) by means of a switch; to put on or off, i.e. connect or disconnect with a battery, or…
- patch1962–transitive. Computing. To correct or improve (a program or routine) by inserting a patch.
- zap1982–Computing. To erase or change (an item in a program).
- II.intransitive.
- II.7.1968–To move quickly and with vigour.
- 1968
Nothing is quite as sad as watching Lynn watching Lightfoot zap off out of a parking lot.
Maclean's September 55 - 1972
The well-known routine of zapping from studio to studio.
Observer 27 February 33/5 - 1977
We're zapping over Kogarah Bay with 45 miles an hour on the clock.
Modern Boating (Australia) January 30/3 - 1981
When those self-satisfied pop singers and dizzy girls from Hollywood zap in and out they are not drinking themselves silly at our expense.
Times 22 July 12/4 - 1985
Several smaller craft zap past.
Times 6 April 11/1
- II.8.1983–To use a fast-forward facility on a video recorder to go quickly through the advertisements in a recorded television programme; to switch through other channels for the duration of the advertisements when watching programmes off-air.
- 1983implied in:
The practice is known in the US as ‘zapping’. Apparently people who have remote control devices are substantially more likely..to switch over to another channel when ads come on. [at zapping n.]
Times 27 October 8/3 - 1984
People are beginning to record the best commercial programmes on their VCRs so they can zap through the commercials.
Broadcast 7 December 27/2 - 1985
People with the technology use it to avoid commercial breaks, either by zapping through other channels or by fast-forwarding material recorded off-air.
Marxism Today May 34/1
society communication record recording or reproducing sound or visual material [intransitive verbs] record use fast-forward facility- fast forward1965–transitive. To rapidly advance (a tape, or the playback of an audio or video recording) by using the fast forward facility on a tape player, video…
- zap1983–To use a fast-forward facility on a video recorder to go quickly through the advertisements in a recorded television programme; to switch through…
society communication broadcasting putting on or producing broadcast [intransitive verbs] put on or produce broadcast switch channel- switch1937–intransitive. To change over to another state by means of a switch; spec. to alter the receiving channel of a radio or television set.
- to turn over1958–intransitive. Originally and chiefly British and Irish English. To change the channel on a radio or television set; to change to a different…
- zap1983–To use a fast-forward facility on a video recorder to go quickly through the advertisements in a recorded television programme; to switch through…
- graze1986–transferred and figurative. To obtain information or diversion by casual selection; to sample or browse, esp. by switching rapidly between…
Additional sense (1993)
- 1979–To make more powerful, exciting, etc.; to enliven, revitalize; to spice or pep up.
- 1979
A silky textured duck liver pâté was zapped with an overdose of brandy.
New York Times 18 May c14/4 - 1982
The account executive—ever the master of vague terms and confusing directions—tells the creatives they need to..‘zap it up’..‘beat some drums’..‘put some vitamins in it’.
Ad Day 4 March 3 - 1986
How to find shoes, hats, accessories that zap last year's clothes to look like new.
Family Circle May 5/2 - 1991
Saab brought turbocharging to the mass market long before it became faddish to zap up the performance of shopping buggies by ramming air down their throats.
Independent 9 November 43/5
the mind emotion excitement pleasurable excitement [transitive verbs] affect with pleasurable excitement make piquantly exciting- farcea1340–figurative; esp. To season, ‘spice’ (a composition, speech). Also with up. (Cf. farse, v.)
- seasonc1520–figurative. To mix, intersperse, or imbue with something that imparts relish; to adapt or accommodate to a particular taste.
- spice1529–transitive. figurative. To season, to affect the character or quality of, by means of some addition or modification; usually with with. Also (collo…
- sauce?1534–figurative. To influence the character or quality of (an experience, situation, action, work, etc.)… transitive. To introduce an element of variety…
- salt1576–figurative. To season; to render poignant or piquant.
- savour1578–1889transitive. figurative. To give a particular tone, character, or quality to; to imbue with. Obsolete.
- saucea1616–transitive. figurative. To accompany (a meal, dish, etc.) with a particular activity, experience, etc., in such a way as to affect a person's…
- cantharidize1812–To affect or treat with cantharides (esp. as an aphrodisiac); also figurative.
- whoosh1909–transitive. To cause to move rapidly with a rushing sound. Also figurative. Const. up, to enliven.
- zap1979–To make more powerful, exciting, etc.; to enliven, revitalize; to spice or pep up.
the world food and drink food food manufacture and preparation preparation for table or cooking seasoning [transitive verbs] season- savourc1384–transitive. To flavour or season; to add savoury flavour to. Also in figurative contexts (cf. savour, n. II.4a).
- seasonc1400–transitive. To render (a dish) more palatable by the addition of some savoury ingredient.
- condimentc1420–1854transitive. To season or flavour with a condiment; to spice.
- powder?c1425–transitive. To sprinkle (meat, etc.) with salt or powdered spice, esp. for preserving; to salt; to corn or cure. Also intransitive. British regional…
- saucea1438–transitive. In early use: to change or enhance the taste of (a dish) by adding a condiment or other ingredient; to season or flavour (food, drink…
- pointa1450transitive. figurative. To make (food) piquant or sharp. Obsolete. rare.
- tastea1577–To impart a taste or flavour to; to flavour; also figurative. Now rare.
- palate1610–1845transitive. To make palatable, to season. Obsolete. rare.
- scent1655–transitive. To flavour (tea, tobacco, etc.) with an aromatic ingredient.
- condite1657–79To season, flavour.
- zest1705–transitive. To add zest to; to add flavour, relish, or piquancy to. Frequently figurative and in figurative contexts.
- kitchen1720–transitive. Scottish, Irish English, and English regional (northern). To give added flavour or relish to (a plain or staple food); to serve as…
- dress1795transitive. To prepare (food) for cooking or eating; to season or cook (meat, fish, etc.). Now chiefly: to add a sauce to (food, esp. a salad).
- flavour1830–To give flavour, taste, or scent to; to season; in first quot. †to make to ‘smell’ warm.
- to zing up1953–transitive. To add a zesty, tangy, or piquant flavour to (food). Cf. zing, n. B.3.
- zap1979–To make more powerful, exciting, etc.; to enliven, revitalize; to spice or pep up.
Additional sense (2003)
- 1975–transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To cook (food) in a microwave oven.
- 1975
Plum sauce first... Then zap your chicken in the microwave. Chicken cooked in a microwave oven becomes tender and extremely juicy.
Sunset September 106 - 1978
The corned beef was zapped to death in a microwave oven that rendered it of all its fat and turned it to stone.
Washington Post 5 March (Magazine) 39 - 1986
Fresh corn barely needs to be cooked, and I have found that the microwave does a wonderful job of preserving the flavor if you just zap it in its husk, turning it once in the process.
San Diego Union-Tribune (Nexis) 30 July 39 - 1998
The packaging features receptor inlays that help brown and crisp the tortillas when they are zapped in the microwave.
Grocer 1 August 8/2
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
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
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.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- 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.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige
Vowels
- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot
Forms
Variant forms
Also (rare) zapp.Frequency
zap typically occurs about 0.3 times per million words in modern written English.
zap is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zap, v., 1940–2010
* 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 |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 0.017 |
| 1950 | 0.048 |
| 1960 | 0.088 |
| 1970 | 0.17 |
| 1980 | 0.26 |
| 1990 | 0.34 |
| 2000 | 0.39 |
| 2010 | 0.44 |
Frequency of zap, v., 2017–2024
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.
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 corpus.
| Period | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 0.43 |
| 2018 | 0.41 |
| 2019 | 0.41 |
| 2020 | 0.4 |
| 2021 | 0.39 |
| 2022 | 0.38 |
| 2023 | 0.38 |
| 2024 | 0.37 |
Compounds & derived words
- zapped, adj. 1962–
- zap, n. 1968–U.S. colloquial. A charge or bolt, as of…
- zapper, n. 1969–a. A person, technique, etc., that kills or does…
- zapping, n. 1972–The action of zap, v.; spec. the practice of…