zeeping, adj.

zeeping
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeeping_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2018

# zeepingadjective

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zeeping mean?

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

### How is the adjective zeeping pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈziːpɪŋ/
ZEE-ping

#### U.S. English

/ˈzipɪŋ/
ZEE-ping

### Where does the adjective zeeping come from?

Earliest known use

1890s

The earliest known use of the adjective zeeping is in the 1890s.

OED's earliest evidence for zeeping is from 1895, in American Bee Journal.

zeeping is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zeep v., ‑ing suffix2.

### Nearby entries

1. zedbed, n. 1954–
2. zedoary, n. Old English–
3. zedonk, n. 1961–
4. zee, n. 1580–
5. Zeelander, n. c1400–
6. Zeelandic, adj. 1802–
7. Zeelandish, adj. 1593–
8. Zeeman, n. 1897–
9. zeep, n. 1878–
10. zeep, v. 1886–
11. zeeping, adj.1895–
12. zef, adj. 1990–
13. zegadine, n. 1651–
14. zeilanite, n. 1815–
15. zein, n. 1820–
16. Zeiss, n. 1876–
17. zeitgeber, n. 1958–
18. zeitgeist, n. 1848–
19. zeitgeisty, adj. 1966–
20. zek, n. 1968–
21. zelant, n. 1624–26

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
< zeep v. + ‑ing suffix2.

Compare earlier zeep n.

## Meaning & use

1. 1895–
   Designating a high-pitched noise like that produced by friction or something travelling at speed; (also) that makes such a noise. Cf. zeep n.
   Chiefly used with reference to sounds made by birds or insects.
   1. 1895

      > A zeeping sound unlike any other I ever heard.

      American Bee Journal 16 May 313/1
   2. 1916

      > Song, a short rather weak zeeping lisp.

      C. J. Maynard, Field Ornithol. Birds Eastern North Amer. 432
   3. 1984

      > The chicks trailed the firefinch making a rapid ‘zeeping’ noise.

      Honeyguide vol. 30 131
   4. 2011

      > Listening to this ‘zeeping’ insect in my room.

      J. Himmelman, Cricket Radio v. 79

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈziːpɪŋ/
ZEE-ping

### U.S. English

/ˈzipɪŋ/
ZEE-ping

####

##### 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.

####

##### 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 /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### 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

zeeping, adj. was first published in June 2018.

zeeping, adj. was last modified in July 2023.