zigzag machine, n.

zigzag-machine
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zigzag-machine_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1986; not fully revised

# zigzag machinenoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zigzag machine mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zigzag machine. 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 zigzag machine?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1950 | 0.0039
1960 | 0.0038
1970 | 0.0034
1980 | 0.0032
1990 | 0.0034
2000 | 0.0037
2010 | 0.0032

### Where does the noun zigzag machine come from?

Earliest known use

1950s

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

OED's earliest evidence for zigzag machine is from 1952, in Consumers' Research Bulletin.

### Nearby entries

1. Zigeuner, n. & adj. 1802–
2. Zigeunerin, n. 1845–83
3. ziggety, int., adj., & adv. 1924–
4. ziggurat, n. 1873–
5. zigzag, n., adj., & adv. 1712–
6. zigzag, v. 1777–
7. zigzag connection, n. 1922–
8. zigzagged, adj. 1774–
9. zigzaggery, n. 1761–
10. zigzaggy, adj. a1845–
11. zigzag machine, n.1952–
12. zigzag trefoil, n. 1796–
13. zig-zig, n. 1918–
14. Zika, n. 1952–
15. Zilavka, n. 1926–
16. zilch, n. & adj. 1925–
17. zilch, v. 1957–
18. zill, n. 1754–
19. zilla, n. 1772–
20. -zilla, comb. form
21. zilladar, n. 1763–

## Meaning & use

1. 1952–
   A sewing machine with a swing needle that may be used to produce a zigzag stitch and decorative stitches derived from it.
   1. [1950

      > It was Pfaff that developed the famous Zig-Zag Model 130.

      Vogue Pattern Book April 81/2]
   2. 1952

      > All the zig-zag machines but one..were heavy.

      Consumers' Research Bulletin September 11/1
   3. 1963

      > For plain zig zag machines, the width of the stitch limits the range of patterns they can make.

      Which? June 165/2
   4. 1978

      > Fashionmate zig zag machine featuring our front drop-in bobbin.

      Detroit Free Press 5 March d14 (advertisement)
   needlework
   1. darner 1876–
      A darning-machine.
   2. drophead 1893–
      Originally U.S. A sewing machine, typewriter, etc., that can be lowered into a casing or a desk to form a piece of furniture. Also: a desk or casing…
   3. free arm 1948–
      A protruding arm on a sewing machine, designed to facilitate the sewing of tube-shaped items such as sleeves and trouser legs; (also) a sewing…
   4. zigzag machine 1952–
      A sewing machine with a swing needle that may be used to produce a zigzag stitch and decorative stitches derived from it.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Frequency

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

zigzag machine is in frequency band 2, which contains words occurring between 0.001 and 0.01 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 zigzag machine, 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 | 0.0039
1960 | 0.0038
1970 | 0.0034
1980 | 0.0032
1990 | 0.0034
2000 | 0.0037
2010 | 0.0032

Originally published as part of the entry for zigzag, n., adj., & adv.

zigzag, n., adj., & adv. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.