zigzag, v.

zigzag
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zigzag_v%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1921; not fully revised

# zigzagverb

## Earlier version

- zigzag, v. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the verb zigzag mean?

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb zigzag. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, 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 verb zigzag?

About 0.4occurrences per million words in modern written English

1770 | 0.024
1780 | 0.028
1790 | 0.032
1800 | 0.04
1810 | 0.048
1820 | 0.061
1830 | 0.076
1840 | 0.11
1850 | 0.14
1860 | 0.18
1870 | 0.24
1880 | 0.3
1890 | 0.37
1900 | 0.44
1910 | 0.49
1920 | 0.53
1930 | 0.55
1940 | 0.51
1950 | 0.46
1960 | 0.43
1970 | 0.4
1980 | 0.41
1990 | 0.43
2000 | 0.46
2010 | 0.48

### How is the verb zigzag pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɪɡzaɡ/
ZIG-zag

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɪɡˌzæɡ/
ZIG-zag

### Where does the verb zigzag come from?

Earliest known use

late 1700s

The earliest known use of the verb zigzag is in the late 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zigzag is from 1777, in the writing of Thomas Pennant, naturalist, traveller, and writer.

It is also recorded as a noun from the early 1700s.

zigzag is formed within English, by conversion.

Etymons: zigzag n.

### Nearby entries

1. Ziehl-Neelsen, n. 1892–
2. ziff, n. 1917–
3. ZIFT, n. 1988–
4. zig, n. 1978–
5. zig, v. 1969–
6. Zigeuner, n. & adj. 1802–
7. Zigeunerin, n. 1845–83
8. ziggety, int., adj., & adv. 1924–
9. ziggurat, n. 1873–
10. zigzag, n., adj., & adv. 1712–
11. zigzag, v.1777–
12. zigzag connection, n. 1922–
13. zigzagged, adj. 1774–
14. zigzaggery, n. 1761–
15. zigzaggy, adj. a1845–
16. zigzag machine, n. 1952–
17. zigzag trefoil, n. 1796–
18. zig-zig, n. 1918–
19. Zika, n. 1952–
20. Zilavka, n. 1926–
21. zilch, n. & adj. 1925–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by conversion.
Etymon: zigzag n.
< zigzag n. Compare French zigzaguer.

## Meaning & use

1. 1. 1.a.
      1787–
      intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
      1. 1787

         > His horse..zigzagged across before my old spavin'd hunter.

         R. Burns, Letter 7 July (2001) vol. I. 128
      2. 1792

         > We..zigzagged up to the very top.

         T. Twining in Recr. & Studies (1882) 163
      3. 1807

         > The surprising range of rocks, zigzagging away in all directions.

         J. Beresford, Miseries of Human Life vol. II. xviii. 167
      4. 1812

         > He had zig-zagg'd many a league!

         G. Colman, Poetical Vagaries 104
      5. 1861

         > He managed to..zigzag down Kennington reach..with much labour.

         T. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford vol. I. ii. 24
      6. 1897

         > He..zigzagged his way back to the ship.

         W. W. Jacobs, Skipper's Wooing iii
      figurative
      1. [1787

         > While I was chalking you out the straight way to Wealth and Character, with audacious effrontery you have zigzagged across the path.

         R. Burns, Letter 7 February (2001) vol. I. 91]
      2. 1825

         > Not following the natural course of thought and feeling,..but zig-zagging after the rhyme.

         R. Southey, Letter in Correspondence of Robert Southey with Caroline Bowles (1881) 78
      3. 1825

         > The red and black had zig-zagged, or won alternately for fourteen times.

         H. Smith, Gaieties & Gravities vol. II. 245
      4. 1901

         > His courage zigzagged,..one moment he towered in imagination, the next he grovelled in fear.

         ‘G. Douglas’, House with Green Shutters xxiii
      1. to turn and wind a1398–
         To turn this way and that; to go or move in a winding course. Formerly also †to turn and wind oneself. Now rare.
      2. wreathe a1500–
         intransitive and transitive (reflexive). To bend or turn in a particular direction; to twist about; to writhe.
      3. twine 1553–
         To extend or proceed in a winding manner; to bend, incline circuitously; to wind about, meander; of a serpent, etc., to crawl sinuously (also refl…
      4. indent 1567–1644
         intransitive. To move in a zigzag or indented line; to turn or bend from side to side in one's course; to double. Obsolete.
      5. vire a1586
         intransitive. To turn; to wind about.
      6. crank 1594–1891
         intransitive. To twist and turn about; to move with a sharply winding course, to zigzag. Obsolete.
      7. to dance the hay or hays 1600–
         transferred and figurative. to dance the hay or hays: to perform winding or sinuous movements (around or among numerous objects); to go through…
      8. maze 1605–
         intransitive. To move in a winding course; to wander as if in a maze. Also (occasionally) transitive with it as object. Now rare.
      9. serpent 1606–
         intransitive. To move in a serpentine manner; to follow a tortuous course; to wind.
      10. to indent the way 1612–22
          transitive. to indent the way: in same sense.
      11. cringle 1629–
          intransitive. Of a stream: to twist, wind. Also transitive (reflexive). rare. Now English regional (north-western).
      12. indenture 1631–35
          intransitive. To move in a zigzag line; to zigzag. Obsolete.
      13. circumgyre 1634–80
          intransitive. To turn round like a wheel; to revolve; to make circuits, wind about, circle.
      14. twist 1635–
          intransitive and reflexive. To pass or move in a tortuous manner; to coil or twine about or round; to penetrate into something with a tortuous…
      15. glomerate 1638
          intransitive. To wind or twist about.
      16. wind 1667–
          Of a person, group, animal, vehicle, etc.: to travel in a twisting, turning, or meandering course, as… transitive, with way, course, etc., as…
      17. serpentine 1767–
          intransitive. To move in a serpentine manner; to pursue a serpentine or tortuous path; to wind.
      18. meander 1785–
          intransitive. In extended use.
      19. zigzag 1787–
          intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
      20. zag 1793–
          Used to express a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zig, v.
      21. to worm one's way 1822–
          With adverbial accusative, as to worm one's way. Also of figurative progress (cf. III.10a).
      22. vandyke 1828–
          intransitive. To go or proceed in an irregular zigzag manner; to take a zigzag course. ? Obsolete.
      23. crankle 1835–
          intransitive. To bend in and out, to wind, twist; ‘to run in flexures and windings’ (Johnson); to run zig-zag.
      24. switchback 1903–
          (intransitive) to take a zigzag course like a switchback railway (switchback, adj. A(a)); (Aeronautics) to make a switchback flight.
      25. rattlesnake 1961–
          intransitive. To move fluidly, quickly, or with a rattling sound; to slither like a rattlesnake. Also transitive: to make (one's way) in this…
      26. zig 1969–
          intransitive. To make a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zag, n. & adv. & v.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. tack 1700–
         intransitive. transferred. To make a turning or zigzag movement on land.
      2. zigzag 1787–
         intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
      3. to work a traverse 1805–1912
         Of a vessel: to take an irregular or zigzag course. Also in extended use: (of a person or group) to take an irregular, circuitous, or indirect…
      4. weave 1884–
         intransitive. To move repeatedly from side to side; †to toss to and fro; to sway the body alternately to one side and the other; to pursue a…
      5. traverse 1905–
         transitive. Skiing. To ski diagonally across (a slope, hill, etc.); to descend (a slope) in a series of such movements, following a zigzag course…
      6. Major-Mitchell 1922–
         intransitive. To pursue a zigzag course, originally as a method of exploration; to meander; to become lost.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. weave 1650–
         To cause to move in a devious course; to direct (one's steps) in a devious or intricate course, as in dancing.
      2. zigzag 1787–
         intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
      3. traverse 1905–
         transitive. Skiing. To ski diagonally across (a slope, hill, etc.); to descend (a slope) in a series of such movements, following a zigzag course…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. twine 1553–
         To extend or proceed in a winding manner; to bend, incline circuitously; to wind about, meander; of a serpent, etc., to crawl sinuously (also refl…
      2. crankle 1598–
         intransitive. To bend in and out, to wind, twist; ‘to run in flexures and windings’ (Johnson); to run zig-zag.
      3. wind 1598–
         intransitive. Of a vessel: to turn or lie, esp. in a particular direction; (also) to turn on the opposite tack, to tack. Cf. wend, v.¹ I.7a.
      4. creek 1610
         intransitive. To bend, turn, wind.
      5. straggle 1612–
         Of inanimate objects: To be arranged dispersedly or irregularly; to be situated apart from any main body or from one another. Of a town…
      6. crinkle 1622–
         intransitive. To form numerous short twists, bends, or ridges; to crumple, twist, or wind; (in later use) esp. to contract into small surface…
      7. serpentize 1699–
         intransitive. = serpentine, v. 1.
      8. wander 1747–
         Of rivers, roads, etc.: To pursue a devious or circuitous course; to wind, meander.
      9. serpentine 1767–
         intransitive. To move in a serpentine manner; to pursue a serpentine or tortuous path; to wind.
      10. meander 1785–
          intransitive. In extended use.
      11. zigzag 1787–
          intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
      12. serpentinize 1791–
          intransitive. = serpentine, v. 1.
      13. twister 1872–
          intransitive. To wind, meander. dialect.
      14. snake 1875–
          To wind, twist, curve, etc., in a snake-like manner.
      15. twist 1879–
          intransitive. To turn aside and proceed in a new direction; spec. of a ball (at cricket, etc.): to turn aside or ‘break’ on rebounding; also, to…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   2. 1.b.
      1950–
      Of a sewing machine: to make zigzag stitches.
      1. 1950

         > The Necchis [sc. sewing-machines] which zigzagged were inferior to the..Necchis which didn't.

         Consumer Reports May 212/1
      2. 1956

         > Whether you want to embroider..zig-zag or sew a straight seam, you'll find the ‘84’ unsurpassed.

         Sears, Roebuck Catalogue Fall–Winter 1068/1
      3. 1976

         > It's a pocket-size sewing machine which you hold in one hand—that sews, bastes, hems, zig-zags, sews on buttons and even zippers.

         Woman's Weekly 6 November 68/2 (advertisement)
      needlework
      1. hem 1530–
         To turn in and sew down the edge of (a piece of fabric). intransitive. To do the particular kind of sewing which is used in this operation.
      2. buttonhole 1851–89
         intransitive. To make buttonholes in a garment. Obsolete.
      3. to stitch away 1853–
         absol. and intransitive. To make stitches; to work with a needle and thread. to stitch away, to go on sewing energetically.
      4. purfle 1890
         intransitive. To edge or border a garment with a decoration. Obsolete. rare.
      5. blanket stitch 1910–
         transitive. To sew (fabric) using blanket stitch; esp. to bind, reinforce, or decorate (the edge or hem of an item) using blanket stitch. Also intrans…
      6. prick-stitch 1933–
         transitive. To sew or work in prick stitch. Also intransitive.
      7. zigzag 1950–
         Of a sewing machine: to make zigzag stitches.
      8. thimble
         (intransitive) to use a thimble, to sew.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 1. 2.a.
      1777–
      transitive. To give a zigzag form to; to trace a zigzag line upon. Chiefly in past participle; see also zigzagged adj.
      1. 1777

         > White zigzagged with ferruginous; edges crenulated.

         T. Pennant, British Zoology (ed. 4, quarto) vol. IV. vi. 98
      2. 1872

         > The breast of the black cloud was now zigzagged..by lightning.

         W. D. Howells, Their Wedding Journey iii
      3. 1884

         > Its lateral margin..toothed and zigzagged by the outgrowth of conically elongated cells.

         F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott, translation of H. A. de Bary, Comparative Anatomy Phanerogams & Ferns 65
      1. zigzag 1777–
         transitive. To give a zigzag form to; to trace a zigzag line upon. Chiefly in past participle; see also zigzagged, adj.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. zigzag 1872–
         transitive. To give a zigzag form to; to trace a zigzag line upon. Chiefly in past participle; see also zigzagged, adj.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   2. 2.b.
      1930–
      To traverse in a zigzag manner.
      1. 1930

         > He literally zigzagged the whole tremendous territory, visiting almost every hamlet.

         F. L. Bird & F. M. Ryan, Recall Public Officers 42
      2. 1978

         > The vans..zig-zagged the near-deserted streets.

         J. Wainwright, Ripple of Murders 78
      1. zigzag 1930–
         To traverse in a zigzag manner.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
3. 3.
   1821–
   To cause to move in a zigzag direction; reflexive = 1.
   1. 1821

      > I oft zigzag me round Thy uneven, heathy ground.

      J. Clare, Village Minstrel, & Other Poems vol. I. 115
   2. 1889

      > To see him zigzag his large body through the mob from the vestry to the pulpit.

      F. E. Gretton, Memory's Harkback 49
   1. wind c1450
      intransitive and transitive (reflexive). To move in a curving or circular path or arc, to revolve; to turn, esp. in a specified direction. Obsolete.
   2. twist 1635–
      intransitive and reflexive. To pass or move in a tortuous manner; to coil or twine about or round; to penetrate into something with a tortuous…
   3. zigzag 1821–
      To cause to move in a zigzag direction; reflexive = 1.
   4. angle 1863–
      Frequently with adverb or prepositional phrase indicating direction. intransitive. To move in an angular manner; to follow a sharply winding course…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɪɡzaɡ/
ZIG-zag

### U.S. English

/ˈzɪɡˌzæɡ/
ZIG-zag

####

##### 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

## Frequency

zigzag typically occurs about 0.4 times per million words in modern written English.

zigzag 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 data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zigzag, v., 1770–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1770 | 0.024
1780 | 0.028
1790 | 0.032
1800 | 0.04
1810 | 0.048
1820 | 0.061
1830 | 0.076
1840 | 0.11
1850 | 0.14
1860 | 0.18
1870 | 0.24
1880 | 0.3
1890 | 0.37
1900 | 0.44
1910 | 0.49
1920 | 0.53
1930 | 0.55
1940 | 0.51
1950 | 0.46
1960 | 0.43
1970 | 0.4
1980 | 0.41
1990 | 0.43
2000 | 0.46
2010 | 0.48

### Frequency of zigzag, 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 | 0.17
2018 | 0.17
2019 | 0.16
2020 | 0.16
2021 | 0.15
2022 | 0.15
2023 | 0.15
2024 | 0.15

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. zigzagged, adj. 1774–
   Having a zigzag form or marking.

1. zigzagging, n. & adj. 1827–

zigzag, v. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

zigzag, v. was last modified in September 2024.