zebrahttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zebra_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezebra, n.
Revised 2018

zebranoun

  1. I.
    The animal.
    1. I.1.
      1597–
      Any of several horse-like African equids of the genus Equus, having a whitish coat striped with bars of black and an erect mane.
      Many kinds of zebra have been described, but they are now considered to belong to just three species. The plains zebra, E. quagga (formerly E. burchellii), of which the extinct quagga was a subspecies, is the commonest and most widespread.
      Grévy's zebra, mountain zebra: see the first element.
      1. 1597
        There breedeth likewise in this Countrey another Creature, which they call a Zebra [Italian Zebra], commonly founde also in certaine Prouinces of Barbary and Africa.
        A. Hartwell, translation of D. Lopes, Rep. Kingdome of Congo i. ix. 73
      2. 1600
        The Zebra or Zabra of this countrey [sc. Congo] being about the bignes of a mule, is a beast of incomparable swiftnes.
        J. Pory, Gen. Descr. Afr. 39 in translation of J. Leo Africanus, Geographical Historie of Africa
      3. 1625
        Holding in each hand a Zeueras, or wilde horses tayle. [margin]Zebra.
        S. Purchas, Pilgrimes vol. II. vii. iii. 977
      4. 1638
        Apes, Baboons,..Zebrae, Wolves, Foxes.
        T. Herbert, Some Yeares Travels (revised edition) 14
      5. 1653
        Some applied themselves..to the pursuing of Tygers, Rhinocerots, Ounces, Zevres.
        H. Cogan, translation of F. M. Pinto, Voyages & Adventures lv. 216
      6. 1682
        A Beast called Zecora or Zembra.
        Weekly Memorials for Ingenious (Faithorne & Kersey) 23 January 15
      7. 1735
        A Zeura or Wild-Ass, a Creature of large Size, and admirable Beauty.
        S. Johnson, translation of J. Lobo, Voyage to Abyssinia 5
      8. 1776
        Twenty zebras displayed their elegant forms and variegated beauty to the eyes of the Roman people.
        E. Gibbon, Decline & Fall vol. I. xii. 350
      9. 1857
        The presence of the..zebra..is always a certain indication of water being within a distance of seven or eight miles.
        D. Livingstone, Missionary Travels South Africa iii. 56
      10. 1886
        You might as well put a zebra in harness as Melenda into any kind of service.
        W. Besant, Children of Gibeon vol. II. ii. vi. 50
      11. 1921
        He could even hear the nasal laugh of the zebra.
        Chambers's Journal March 178/1
      12. 1964
        A boma..that would have held a herd of a hundred or more zebra.
        C. Willock, Enormous Zoo iii. 49
      13. 2008
        This way the zebra could prevent overheating on a hot summer's day.
        L. Gutteridge, South Afr. Bushveld v. 69
  2. II.
    A person, animal, or thing likened to a zebra in having or wearing stripes.
      1. II.2.a.
        1778–
        Any of various animals, timber, and other natural objects having dark stripes. Frequently short for compound names (see Compounds C.2b, and zebra mussel n.).
        1. 1778
          To be sold by auction..large and valuable Assortment of choice unmanufactured Mahogany, Zebra, Sattin, Tulip, and other Wood.
          St James's Chronicle 16–19 May 1/4
        2. 1811
          There is also a rare kind [of agate] called the zebra, from its regular black bands upon a white ground.
          J. Pinkerton, Petralogy vol. II. 101
        3. 1815
          Bulla Achatina, Broad-striped Zebra, or Pink-mouthed Chersina.
          E. J. Burrow, Elements of Conchology 200
        4. 1901
          Howietoun still supplies..two-year-old ‘zebras’, a name given to a very beautiful hybrid between our English trout and the American char.
          Field 23 November 812/2
        5. 1966
          Grey teal, Zebras, Black duck. Get some really good sport here.
          P. Cowan, Seed 141
        6. 2012
          A few zebra mussels cling to the trap nets... But it seems the whitefish and zebras have reached a kind of stasis.
          National Fisherman March 25/3
      2. II.2.b.
        1879–
        The zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata.
        1. 1879
          I once found nest upon nest built by a pair of Zebras, and they contained upwards of fifty eggs.
          C. W. Gedney, Foreign Cage Birds vol. II. viii. 40
        2. 1934
          On leaving the nest young Zebras rather resemble adult hens.
          Foreigner April 88
        3. 1988
          Zebras can tolerate a level of salinity in their drinking water as high as the salt content of sea water.
          Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 16 September (Great Outdoors Supplement) 3/5
        4. 2007
          Today I rescued the spice finches from the cage with the zebra finches. The zebras are beautiful but aggressive.
          N. Hollander, Tales of Graceful Aging from Planet Denial v. 77
      3. II.2.c.
        1898–
        A nymphalid butterfly having black wings with white and yellow stripes, Heliconius charithonia, of South and Central America and the southern United States (more fully zebra butterfly, zebra longwing). Also (more fully Malayan zebra): a papilionid butterfly having white wings with black stripes, Graphium delesserti, of Southeast Asia.
        1. 1898
          Heliconius charitonius..(The Yellow-barred Heliconian; The Zebra). This insect is a deep black, the fore wings crossed by three bands of yellow.
          W. J. Holland, Butterfly Book 92
        2. 1919
          The caterpillar of the Zebra butterfly feeds on the little passion flower.
          Annual Rep. Board Regents Smithsonian Inst. 1917 402
        3. 1985
          Graphium (Pathysa) delesserti... Common name: Zebra (251), Malayan Zebra (45).
          N. M. Collins & M. G. Morris, Threatened Swallowtail Butterfiles of World iii. 55
        4. 2010
          The tropical butterfly house is home to rare species, including the zebra longwing from North and South America.
          Daily Telegraph (Nexis) 31 August (Features section) 30
      4. II.2.d.
        1905–
        South African. A sea bream of the eastern Atlantic, Diplodus cervinus, having a laterally compressed body with dark vertical stripes (also more fully zebra sea bream). Cf. zebrafish n. 1.
        1. 1905
          A few fish are being taken from the Buffalo..silvers and grunters, and occasionally a small skate or zebra.
          H. E. B. Brooking in East London Daily Disp. (South Africa) 29 July 7
        2. 1951
          Similarities to animals were responsible for the zebra, dassie and parrot fish.
          L. G. Green, Grow Lovely 91
        3. 1989
          We have already found samples of marine fish such as butterfly fish, the strepie and zebra in the canals themselves.
          Weekend Post (Port Elizabeth) 23 December 5
        4. 2004
          In 2000, fishermen caught a zebra sea bream, normally found off the West African coast, off Portland.
          Daily Telegraph 12 August 7/3
      1. II.3.a.
        1819–
        A type of shawl, popular in the 19th cent., having a design consisting of patterned bands or stripes (more fully zebra shawl). Now historical.
        1. 1819
          The richest French tissue scarfs..; fashionable square zebras..; beautiful imitation India scarfs.
          Morning Chronicle 3 November
        2. 1833
          A peagreen Canton crape shawl, a Zebra shawl.
          Morning Post 4 October
        3. 1862
          English muslins are preferred to those of India, and Cashmere shawls have given place to the Zebras of Glasgow and Manchester.
          J. L. Farley, Resources of Turkey vi. 61
        4. 1905
          The poor swollen, painful right hand was wrapped in a corner of the zebra shawl.
          L. T. Meade, Good Luck vi. 95
        5. 1995
          Jacquard Zebra Shawl. Late 1850s.
          P. Clabburn, Norwich Shawl 93 (caption)
      2. II.3.b.
        1829–66
        † A fabric produced in Britain in the 19th cent., particularly for export to Turkey and the surrounding region, having a design of patterned bands or stripes. Chiefly as a count noun: a piece or type of this fabric. Cf. Compounds C.1b. Obsolete.
        1. 1829
          The peace with Russia and Turkey has given a new stimulus to the manufacture of zebras, upwards of one thousand weavers, we believe, having been engaged at this fabric, since the termination of hostilities.
          Standard 9 June 1/5
        2. 1833
          England, like a large haberdashery and hardware store, displays to the longing eyes of the peasantry of the world, calicoes, long cloths, ginghams, zebras, scissors and razors.
          D. Urquhart, Turkey & its Resources vii. 144
        3. 1850
          Various fabrics have..been manufactured for the English and foreign markets, including zebras for Anatolia, Syria, and the caravan trade of the East.
          Chambers's Edinburgh Journal 10 August 85/1
        4. 1866
          A kind of fabrics called ‘zebras’, with striped and other coloured patterns on each side, were woven in the Jacquard harness loom.
          Times 1 December 11/4
    1. II.4.
      Applied to a person.
      1. II.4.a.
        1882–
        U.S. colloquial. A prison inmate or convict wearing a uniform made of a (typically black and white) striped fabric; (also) the uniform itself. Cf. zebra suit n. Now chiefly historical.
        1. 1882
          A ‘Zebra’ was a humorous nickname for a convict.
          G. A. Sala, American Revisited vol. I. xviii. 255
        2. 1895
          At present I understand that he is in limbo, wearing the famous ‘zebra’—the penitentiary dress.
          Harper's Weekly 10 August 753/3
        3. 1909
          When folks come through here to look at the zebras, we ain't going to point out a man to them so as they'll know him on the street after he gets out.
          McClure's Magazine January 261/2
        4. 2001
          Inmates are wearing zebras from Maine to Mississippi.
          Kokomo (Indiana) Tribune 19 July c3/3
        5. 2003
          Inmates with four stripes were considered incorrigibles and were called zebras for the many stripes on their uniforms.
          G. Cheli, Sing Sing Prison ii. 20
      2. II.4.b.
        1972–
        Sport (North American colloquial). A referee, umpire, or other official who typically wears a black and white striped top.
        1. 1972
          Who I worry about, mainly, in pro football are the zebras. The officials.
          D. Jenkins, Semi-tough iii. 231
        2. 1997
          The zebra's main concern will be to determine whether or not there was goalie interference on the play.
          Village Voice (New York) 3 June 117/1
        3. 2016
          If the zebras are going to throw more flags to the point they're pulling out their shoulders, how about letting some of the lesser stuff go?
          National Post (Canada) (Nexis) 1 November (Sports section) b8
    2. II.5.
      1951–
      Chiefly British (originally colloquial). Short for zebra crossing n.
      1. 1951
        Now if only we can find a Zebra, we can sit down and relax!
        O. Lancaster in Daily Express 15 December 1/5 (cartoon caption)
      2. 1968
        Outside, on the road, trucks wait for me to cross a zebra.
        Listener 15 August 201/3
      3. 2004
        Zebras are implemented in the traffic system to give priority to pedestrians.
        H. M. Jagtman, Road Safety by Design ii. vi. 92

zebra, n. was revised in June 2018.

zebra, n. was last modified in June 2025.