zilchhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zilch_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezilch, n. & adj.
Revised 2021

zilchnoun & adjective

slang (originally U.S.).
  1. noun
    1. 1.
      1925–
      An imaginary musical instrument. rare.
      1. 1925
        College slang is a language all its own... The word..‘Zilsch’ seems to have been coined at first as an imaginary instrument in an orchestra vaguely resembling the big bass horn.
        F. Bowers in Providence (Rhode Island) Sunday Journal 15 February f5/7
      2. 1934
        Peter Biljo and his Russian Balalaika orchestra are heard Tuesdays and Wednesdays..over WJSV from C. B. S. networks. The instrument he's playing, we learn from authenticated sources, is not a zilch.
        Washington Post 31 August 26/2 (caption)
      3. 1942
        Zilch, an imaginary wind instrument.
        L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark, American Thesaurus of Slang 558
    2. 2.
      1933–
      A person of no importance or consequence; a worthless or insignificant person; a nobody, a nonentity.
      1. 1933
        You zilch, don't you know that mast hoops never wear out?
        Motor Boating June 68/1
      2. 1965
        The language of personal insult flourishes. A zilch is a total loss, and so is a wimp..gink..skag..lunchbucket.
        Time 1 January 56/3
      3. 1993
        I was mad at you because of the way you treated me. You treated me like a zilch!
        R. Taylor & J. Bologna, Love Allways 197
      4. 2020
        They're losers... They will always be losers. Zilches.
        @TorchysBar 1 May in twitter.com (accessed 21 Aug.)
    3. 3.
      1956–
      Nothing at all, zero; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Cf. zip n.2
      1. 1956
        ‘What are the chances for rescue?’ an operator asked. ‘Zilch!’ somebody muttered.
        Popular Mechanics July 74/2
      2. 1958
        We hate to discourage you, but we don't have ‘zilch’ for this edition of Town and Country.
        Jefferson City (Missouri) Post-Tribune 15 May 4/3
      3. 1977
        Our sex life is practically zilch, and he almost never pays any attention to me.
        Playgirl May 12/2
      4. 1984
        Three further 45s ensued in 1979 and '80, plus an album which didn't sell. After that, zilch.
        Sounds 1 December 38/3
      5. 2004
        The level of communication between all these bodies charged with rooting out fraud is close to zilch.
        H. Kennedy, Just Law (2005) iv. 113
  2. adjective
    1. 1.
      1958–
      Inferior, unsatisfactory; dull, unexciting. Now rare.
      1. 1958
        Sunbathers all agreed that zilch was the word for Tappan Hall's sub-basement cocktail lounge.
        Michiganensian vol. 62 320/2
      2. 1964
        Two layers of meaning are conveyed..by zilch..and blah: both are adjectives applied to unsuccessful parties, though a blah party can be said to be somewhat worse.
        American Speech vol. 39 119
    2. 2.
      1969–
      In attributive use. Absolutely no; not any.
      Now the usual sense.
      1. 1969
        A critical wowser that sold zilch copies.
        Los Angeles Free Press 7 February 10
      2. 1977
        Gorgeous faces but zilch talent.
        Telegraph (Brisbane) 3 February 14/3
      3. 2018
        There's zilch queuing time at these points.
        Autocar (Nexis) 4 November

zilch, n. & adj. was revised in March 2021.

zilch, n. & adj. was last modified in September 2024.