zonehttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zone_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezone, n.
First published 1921; not fully revised

zonenoun

  1. 1.
    Geography, etc.
    1. 1.a.
      a1500–
      Each of the five ‘belts’ or encircling regions, distinguished by differences of climate, into which the surface of the earth (and, in ancient cosmography, the celestial sphere) is divided by the tropics (of Cancer and Capricorn) and the polar (arctic and antarctic) circles; viz. the torrid (burning, burnt, hot) zone between the tropics, the (north and south) temperate zones extending from the tropics to the polar circles, and the frigid (frozen, cold) zones (arctic and antarctic) within the polar circles.
      The arctic and antarctic zones are strictly not ‘belts’ but circular ‘caps’ with the poles in the centre.
      1. a1500
        For thre zones [Laud MS. thre wonynges] shal he fynde Where no man may lyue in one kynde One is hote and colde are two.
        Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (?1510) sig. U iv
      2. 1555
        The could zone or clime, was condemned to perpetuall snowe.
        R. Eden, Of North Regions in translation of Peter Martyr of Angleria, Decades of Newe Worlde f. 267v
      3. 1556
        The olde Cosmographers..called all that space betweene the twoo Tropykes, the Burnynge Zone... And of eche syde of it, they noted twoo Zones,..whiche they called the Frosen zones,..and betweene those Frosen zones, & the Burning zone, they appointed two Temperat zones.
        R. Recorde, Castle of Knowledge 64
      4. 1594
        The hotte Zone is that which lyeth betwixt the two Tropiques.
        T. Blundeville, Exercises iv. f. 206
      5. 1604
        Till our ground Sindging his pate against the burning Zone Make Ossa like a wart.
        W. Shakespeare, Hamlet v. i. 279
      6. 1621
        The parts next the torrid zone are the hotter, & the parts next the frigid zones are the colder.
        P. Heylyn, Microcosmus 4
      7. 1693
        The Sun with Rays, directly darting down, Fires all beneath, and fries the middle Zone.
        J. Dryden, translation of Ovid, Metamorphoses i, in Examen Poeticum 4
      8. 1774
        The feathered inhabitants of the temperate zone are but little remarkable for the beauty of their plumage.
        O. Goldsmith, History of Earth vol. V. 38
      9. 1869
        Africa belongs almost entirely to the torrid zone.
        G. Rawlinson, Manual of Ancient History 53
    2. 1.b.
      1559–
      Any region extending around the earth and comprised between definite limits, e.g. between two parallels of latitude. Also Astronomy applied to a similar region in the heavens or on the surface of a planet or the sun.
      1. 1559
        Do you not in this Figure call euery portion betwixt two paralleles: a zone?.. Yes verely.
        W. Cuningham, Cosmographical Glasse 64
      2. 1578
        Those fiue quarters and zones, which the Astronomers doe describe in heauen, and vppon the earth.
        T. Twyne, translation of L. Daneau, Wonderfull Woorkmanship of World 61
      3. 1692
      4. 1860
        We have, extending entirely around the earth, two zones of perpetual winds.
        M. F. Maury, Physical Geography of Sea (ed. 8) iv. §205
      5. 1860
        On the north side of this calm zone of Cancer.
        M. F. Maury, Physical Geography of Sea (ed. 8) iv. §355
      6. 1890
        The spots are confined mostly to two zones of the sun's surface between 5° and 40° of north and south latitude.
        C. A. Young, Elements of Astronomy §190
    1. 2.a.
      1599–
      More or less vaguely: A region or tract of the world, esp. in relation to its climate; also figurative.
      1. 1599
        We that acquaint our selues with euery Zoane, And passe both Tropikes, and behold the Poles.
        J. Davies, Nosce Teipsum 5
      2. a1628
        Her nature hard to imitate, and diversly worshipped, according to Zones, complexions, or education.
        F. Greville, Life of Sidney (1651) iv. 46
      3. 1667
        We may..in some milde Zone Dwell not unvisited of Heav'ns fair Light Secure.
        J. Milton, Paradise Lost ii. 397
      4. 1772
        'Midst Lapland's live-long snows, Or India's burning zone.
        Monthly Review vol. 42 190/2
      5. a1857
        It has been theirs..to encounter the perilous fervours of that zone where never cooling cloud appears to veil insufferable radiance.
        R. A. Vaughan, Hours with Mystics (1860) vol. I. vi. vi. 201
      6. 1870
        Some Spirit from a zone Of light, and ecstasy, and psalm.
        A. O'Shaughnessy, Seraphitus in Epic of Women i
    2. 2.b.
      1822–
      A definite region or area of the earth, or of any place or space, distinguished from adjacent regions by some special quality or condition (indicated by a defining word or phrase); also figurative.
      Often in technical use; see also 4b, 5 7.
      1. 1822
        This occurrence of the more ancient deposits, within a zone of chalk hills.
        G. Mantell, Fossils of South Downs 298
      2. 1835
        Greece lies in a volcanic zone, which extends from the Caspian..to the Azores.
        C. Thirlwall, History of Greece vol. I. i. 29
      3. 1837
        The zone of easterly diurnal variations.
        D. Brewster, Treatise on Magnetism 222
      4. 1849
        The wide-scattered city, with its zone of the glacis, is the foreground of the view.
        A. A. Paton, Highlands & Islands of Adriatic vol. II. xix. 253
      5. 1852
        Every theatre of war is supposed to be divided into three Zones... These are called Zones of Operation, and are distinguished as the Right, Left, and Central.
        E. Yates, Elem. Strategy 9
      6. 1873
        That all extensions should be performed before entering within the fire zone.
        Daily News 2 August 3/5
      7. 1876
        The zone of defence signifies a belt of ground in front of the general contour of the works within effective range of the artillery on the ramparts... Zone of fire, a term synonymous with range or trajectory.
        G. E. Voyle & G. de Saint-Clair-Stevenson, Military Dictionary (ed. 3) (at cited word)
      8. 1881
        In a shaft-furnace, the different portions (horizontal sections) are called zones, and characterized according to the reactions which take place in them, as the zone of fusion.
        Transactions of American Institute of Mining Engineers 1880–1 vol. 9 192 s.v.
      9. 1883
        Zone, in coal-mining phraseology, this word signifies a certain series of coal seams, with their accompanying shales, &c.
        W. S. Gresley, Glossary of Terms Coal Mining
      10. 1902
        Beyond the rain zone dead scrub and lifeless trees alone meet the eye.
        Times 24 November 5/2
    3. 2.c.
      1909–
      Town Planning. A district or an area of land subject to particular restrictions concerning use and development.
      1. 1909
        The usual method in formulating town building plans on a large scale is to divide the urban area into building zones.
        H. I. Triggs, Town Planning iv. 177
      2. 1910
        Certain portions of the area would be reserved for the erection of better class residences... This would be similar to the ‘zone’ system which has been adopted in certain towns on the Continent.
        F. Howkins, Housing Acts 1890–1909, & Town Planning ix. 125
      3. 1939
        A single map will show the subdivision of the area into zones, which in a typical case might be defined as follows: One family zones. Two family zones. [etc.].
        H. M. Lewis, City Planning xvi. 166
      4. 1953
        The ‘smokeless zone’ provision of some local Acts..apply to domestic as well as industrial smoke.
        Interim Rep. Comm. Air Pollution 27 in Parliamentary Papers (Cmd. 9011) vol. VIII. 655
      5. 1964
        Certain areas can be kept for light industry, others for heavy industry, dwellings, offices..and so on, each area being called a zone.
        J. S. Scott, Dictionary of Building 364
    4. 2.d.
      1927–
      American Football and Basketball. A specific area of the court to be defended by a particular player; also, a mode of defensive play employing this system (cf. zone defence n.).
      1. 1927
        In the zone defense the players playing back of the line of scrimmage..are so stationed that they can knock down or intercept any pass that comes into their territory or zone.
        G. S. Warner, Football for Coaches & Players 191
      2. 1942
        Certain coaches believe only the ‘zone’ can be called a team defense.
        C. Bee, Zone Def. & Attack i. 1
      3. 1964
        You cannot win consistently..utilizing the zone.
        F. Anderson & S. Albeck, Coaching Better Basketball ix. 209
      4. 1971
        Each player is given a specific portion of the floor as ‘his territory’, and he guards, in turn, any offensive player who enters his ‘zone’.
        L. Koppett, New York Times Guide to Spectator Sports iii. 83
      5. 1979
        The defense must be a man-to-man with no presses or zones allowed.
        Farmington (New Mexico) Daily Times 27 May 8a/7
    5. 2.e.
      1945–
      Any one of those areas of Germany and Austria occupied by British, American, French, or Russian forces after the war of 1939–45 until 1955. Subsequently occasionally applied to East German territory; also transferred.
      1. 1945
        The conference of Mr. Churchill, President Roosevelt, and Marshal Stalin, held at Yalta, in the Crimea, has drawn up military plans for the final defeat of Germany... The forces of the three Powers will each occupy a separate zone of Germany, and a central control commission will have headquarters in Berlin. France will be invited to take a zone of occupation.
        Times 13 February 4/1
      2. 1947
        German machinery..will be delivered to Hungary in the next three months under a trade agreement signed between Hungary and the Soviet zone of Germany.
        Daily Telegraph 25 September 5/8
      3. 1954
        Frenchmen..had been spending their leaves..among the combat-troop rest-billets not only throughout the entire French Army zone, but the American and the British ones too.
        W. Faulkner, Fable 128
      4. 1956
        Some political leaders expressed the view that German interests would be furthered by direct negotiations with the Soviet Union, and that it would ease conditions for the people of the Soviet Zone if there was limited collaboration with the East German authorities.
        Annual Register 1955 iii. v. 223
      5. 1963
        The GDR... The Zone if you prefer.
        ‘J. le Carré’, Spy who came in from Cold xiii. 127
      6. 1964
        Not too near the Sektor boundary and within a mile of the Soviet Zone... Sometimes we prefer to put our cargo on ice in the zone... Anywhere from Lübeck to Leipzig.
        L. Deighton, Funeral in Berlin vii. 50
      7. 1976
        This movement aimed at the restoration of German unity... It was founded on the basis of proposals put forward by the communist leadership in the Soviet Zone.
        W. D. Graf, German Left since 1945 iii. 77
    1. 3.a.
      1608–
      A girdle or belt, as a part of dress. (Chiefly poetic.) Hence, any encircling band.
      1. 1608
        Germinatio. In greene; with a Zone of golde about her Wast.
        B. Jonson, Masque of Beautie 194 in Characters Two Royall Masques
      2. 1635
        Shall these course hands untie The sacred Zone of thy Virginitie?
        F. Quarles, Emblemes v. viii. 274
      3. 1660
        This was the first place where he untyed his zone since he fled from Athens..so great was his fear.
        T. Stanley, History of Philosophy vol. III. iii. 13
      4. 1743
        Wit calls the Graces the chast Zone to loose.
        E. Young, Complaint: Night the Fifth 8
      5. 1803
        Dear to me the classic zone, Which..Adorns th' accepted Bard.
        H. K. White, To my Lyre in Clifton Grove p. xiii
      6. 1810
        It was a zone for the leg, or bracelet for the arm, of the purest massive gold.
        E. D. Clarke, Travels in Various Countries: Part 1st xvii. 398
      7. 1869
        To the fabled zone of beauty the Christian saints opposed their zones of chastity.
        W. E. H. Lecky, History of European Morals vol. II. v. 338
      8. 1883
        The carters with a zone of whipcord round their hats.
        T. Hardy in Longman's Magazine July 258
    2. 3.b.
      1692–
      A money-belt or purse.
      1. 1692
        How many Zones you observed in that Golden and Silken Heaven of the King's, I know not; but I know you got one Zone (a Purse) well tempered with a Hundred Golden Stars by your Astronomy.
        J. Washington, translation of J. Milton, Defence of People of England ix. 212
      2. 1818
        The zone of the ex trooper, to use Horace's phrase, was weighty enough to purchase a cottage.
        W. Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian vii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Series vol. I. 186
    3. 3.c.
      1599–
      Astronomy. The girdle of Orion.
      1. 1599
        The constellation named the Zone or gyrdle of Orion.
        T. Hill, Schoole of Skil ii. 92
    1. 4.a.
      1605–
      Something that encircles like a girdle; a circumscribing or enclosing line, band, or ring.
      1. 1605
        Round about him he so closely cleaues With's wrything bodie; that his Enemie..Hasts to some Tree, or to some Rocke, whearon To rush and rub-off his detested zone.
        J. Sylvester, translation of G. de S. Du Bartas, Deuine Weekes & Workes i. vi. 193
      2. 1620
        With twelue braue gates the curious eye to fill, The sacred luster as the glistring Zoane, And euery gate fram'd of a seuerall stone.
        T. Peyton, Glasse of Time i. 50
      3. 1785
        The moon..set With modest grandeur in thy [sc. Evening's] purple zone.
        W. Cowper, Task iv. 257
      4. 1840
        Below the entablature is a band or zone, formed of large stones and bricks placed alternately.
        Civil Engineer & Architect's Journal vol. 3 144/1
      5. 1856
        Tentacles disposed in a zone around the mouth.
        W. Clark, translation of J. van der Hoeven, Handbook of Zoology vol. I. 93
      6. 1860
        A tendency to form circular zones round the sun.
        J. Tyndall, Glaciers of Alps i. xxii. 154
      7. 1895
        His [sc. the sea's] world-wide elemental moan Girdeth our lives with tragic zone.
        R. Bridges, Ode to Music iv. i
    2. 4.b.
      1752–
      A band or stripe of colour, or of light or shade, extending around something, or (loosely) over any surface or area; often, any one of a number of concentric or alternate markings of this kind.
      1. 1752
        The outer surface of the whole shell [of the Buccinum]..is of a pale brownish colour, elegantly variegated with a great number of yellow zones.
        J. Hill, General Natural History vol. III. 131
      2. 1805
        Long-tailed green Parrot, with..the collar on the nape and abdominal zone yellow.
        G. Shaw, Vivarium Naturæ, or Naturalist’ s Misc. vol. XVI. pl. 657
      3. 1815
        When Jupiter is viewed through a good telescope, we perceive a number of zones or belts, of a darker colour than the rest of his disc.
        J. Smith, Panorama of Science & Art vol. I. 556
      4. 1816
        All such white marbles as are marked with green-coloured zones, caused by talc or chlorite.
        R. Jameson, System of Mineralogy (ed. 2) vol. II. 146
      5. 1833
        If we press upon the eye-ball with a key or the end of a pencil-case, zones of light are excited.
        C. Bell, Hand 247
      6. 1891
        The atrium glowed in zones of light.
        F. W. Farrar, Darkness & Dawn vol. I. vi. 43
  2. 5.
    1795–
    Astronomy. A region or belt of the sky comprised between definite limits, e.g. between two parallels of declination.
    1. 1795
      My examinations of the heavens in zones.
      W. Herschel in Philosophical Transactions (Royal Society) vol. 85 381
    2. 1829
      That broad zone called the milky-way.
      Chapters Physical Science 413
    3. 1890
      The general plan of nebular distribution is into vast assemblages, one on either side of the galactic zone.
      A. M. Clerke, System of Stars xxiv. 377
  3. 6.
    1811–
    Anatomy, Zoology, and Botany. A growth or structure surrounding or encircling some part in the form of a ring or cylinder; also, a region or area extending around or over some part and distinguished by some special character or condition.
    With various defining words applied spec. to particular structures or regions. ciliary adj. zone, motor n. & adj. zone: see these words. zone of Zinn: see zonule n.
    1. 1811
      These tubercles are..surrounded by a zone or disk, of a brownish red colour, the areola.
      C. Bell, Anatomy of Human Body (ed. 3) vol. III. 468
    2. 1849
      Ciliary processes.—These processes..are received into corresponding folds or plaitings of the hyaloid membrane, called the secondary ciliary processes, and which taken altogether form a circle around the crystalline lens named after their discoverer the Zone of Zinn.
      A. H. Hassall, Microscopic Anatomy of Human Body vol. I. 514
    3. 1882
      The cornea..is..intermediate in thickness between that of the white zone and the rest of the sclerotic.
      B. G. Wilder & S. H. Gage, Anatomical Technology Domestic Cat §1421
    4. 1884
      The periblem, which is a zone of tissue lying between the plerome and dermatogen.
      F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott, translation of H. A. de Bary, Comparative Anatomy Phanerogams & Ferns 7
    5. 1913
      Abdominal z [one] s, the three zones into which the surface of the abdomen is divided by the subcostal and intertubercular lines... Pellucid z., the zona pellucida.
      W. A. N. Dorland, Medical Dictionary (at cited word)
  4. 7.
    1829–
    Geology and Physical Geography. A region, or each of a series of regions, comprised between definite limits of any kind, e.g. of depth or height, and distinguished by special characters, esp. by characteristic fossils or forms of animal and plant life.
    1. 1829
      In the north [of France], it [sc. limestone] forms a portion of the great transition zone, which stretches from Flanders into the Hartz.
      A. Ure, New System of Geology 150
    2. 1839
      The presence of this zone of clay..is marked by the outburst of water.
      R. I. Murchison, Silurian System i. ii. 17
    3. 1851
      This cretaceous zone of the shore of the Cantabrian sea.
      American Journal of Science vol. 61 263
    4. 1882
      A bed, or limited number of beds, characterized by one or more distinctive fossils, is termed a zone or horizon.
      A. Geikie, Text-book of Geology vi. 635
    1. 8.a.
      1795–
      Mathematics. A part of the surface of a sphere contained between two parallel planes, or of the surface of any solid of revolution contained between two planes perpendicular to the axis.
      1. 1795
        The curve-surface of any segment or zone of a Sphere, is also equal to the curve surface of a cylinder of the same height with that portion, and of the same diameter with the Sphere.
        C. Hutton, Mathematical & Philosophical Dictionary vol. II. 477/2
      2. 1867
        These circles..are..all in parallel planes..and cut the spherical surface into zones.
        W. Thomson & P. G. Tait, Treatise on Natural Philosophy vol. I. §781. 621
    2. 8.b.
      1868–
      Crystallography. A series of faces of a crystal extending around it and having their lines of intersection parallel.
      1. 1868
        The planes [of a crystalline form] may thus be viewed as lying in vertical zones, a different zone for every ratio of the lateral axes.
        J. D. Dana, System of Mineralogy (ed. 5) Introduction p. xxvi
      2. 1878
        These four vertical faces constitute what is called a zone (or girdle) of the form.
        H. P. Gurney, Crystallography 21
      3. 1895
        The ‘law of zones’,..viz. all planes which can occur on a crystal are related to each other in zones; or, in other words, from any four planes, no three of which lie in one zone, all possible crystal planes can be derived by means of zones.
        C. S. Palmer, translation of W. Nernst, Theoretical Chemistry 67
  5. 9.
    1950–
    A hole in certain punched cards that is punched above the column of holes representing non-zero digits and is used in conjunction with these latter holes to represent non-numerical characters. Usually attributive.
    1. 1950
      For alphabetical representations, two perforations in a single column are used for each letter; one of these is a zone punch (0, 11, or 12) while the other perforation is made in the position identifying one of the digits 1 to 9.
      W. W. Stifler, High-speed Computing Devices (Engin. Research Associates) 149
    2. 1959
      Alphabetic information is recorded by using two punches in the same column: the upper punch (sometimes called the ‘zone’) is always a 12, 11, or 0.
      M. H. Wrubel, Primer of Programming for Digital Computers ii. 33
    3. 1970
      A letter in the English alphabet is coded with one zone punch (12, 11, or 0) together with one under~punch.
      O. Dopping, Computers & Data Processing ii. 44
    4. 1972
      The correspondence between the Hollerith zones and the 1401 zones.
      W. R. Price, Introd. Data Processing vii. 179
    5. 1979
      Later, when the need for alphabetic data arose, the zone positions, rows 12 and 11, were added.
      Davis & McCormack, Information Age vi. 98

Additional sense (2002)

  1. 1976–
    colloquial (originally U.S. Sport). A state of perfect concentration leading to optimum mental or physical performance. Chiefly with the, esp. in in the zone.
    1. 1976
      Tennis players speak reverently of the mystical atmospheric condition known as ‘The Zone’. Passing shots chip away at the lines, first serves pop in and mistakes simply don't materialize. Arthur Ashe's experience in The Zone during his last Wimbledon championship bordered on the surreal.
      San Francisco Chronicle 27 October 47/1
    2. 1990
      Performers, surgeons, or creative artists..find that most important parts of their lives occur when they are ‘in the zone’.
      New Age Journal April 119/1
    3. 1995
      Kitt is in a zone, one of those feel-I-can't-lose mind-sets that can propel an athlete to a series of successes.
      Denver Post 5 March b10/1
    4. 1997
      I feel ideas for the ceremony are pouring out of me and this is the best writing I've done in a long time. After all these years as a writer, I can tell when I'm in the zone, and this is the zone.
      K. Loggins & J. Loggins, Unimaginable Life vii. 253

zone, n. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

zone, n. was last modified in June 2025.