zoomhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoom_int%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezoom, int.
Revised 2017

zoominterjection

  1. 1856–
    Representing a zooming sound, as made by something travelling at speed. Frequently used to express a sudden swift movement or (figurative) a rapid change, as a sudden rise or fall in fortunes.
    1. 1856
      Essayed to read a small Roman Catholic book..when ‘zoom!’ a yellow-jacket hornet stung him under the left ear.
      Knickerbocker September 319
    2. 1867
      The foe—they come; Sound, sound the drum! Zoom! Rat-a-tat!
      Galaxy November 612
    3. 1939
      I would dance a few light fantastic steps..and zoom! like a breeze I was on the piano stool and doing a velocity exercise.
      H. Miller, Tropic of Capricorn 258
    4. 1942
      Men..just lucky enough to hold a job a few years and then—zoom!
      D. Powell, Time to be Born vi. 130
    5. 1976
      People began to talk about him. An article appeared in Advertising Age... Then he wrote a guest column for the Hollywood Reporter. Zoom.
      National Observer (U.S.) 25 December 4/2
    6. 2009
      I saw the bike accelerating: it just went ‘zoom’ past us.
      West Briton (Nexis) 26 November 8

zoom, int. was revised in June 2017.

zoom, int. was last modified in July 2023.