zing
[zing]
- vitality, animation, or zest.
- a quality or characteristic that excites the interest, enthusiasm, etc.: a tourist town with lots of zing.
- a sharp singing or whining noise, as of a bullet passing through the air.
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- to move or proceed with a sharp singing or whining noise: The cars zinged down the highway.
- to move or proceed with speed or vitality; zip.
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- to cause to move with or as with a sharp, singing or whining noise: The pitcher zinged a slider right over the plate.
- Slang. to blame or criticize severely: City Hall always gets zinged when crime increases.
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Origin of zing
First recorded in 1910–15; imitative
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
vigorpizzazzlifegustoget-up-and-gozestzipverveenergypepdrivevitalityvimdashsparklepunchbriogoenthusiasmspiritExamples from the Web for zing
Contemporary Examples
So if you are tempted to see the Salinger documentary or read the Salinger book—if you feel that zing—by all means, go ahead.
Coffee is a great pick-me-up on to put some zing in those long Monday mornings, can be served with or without milk and/or sugar.
Or maybe, just maybe, he will zing the president on a white-hot issue dominating every waking moment for, um, some voters.
The newly fired host took advantage of a Letterman appearance to zing Current TV while admitting he had used poor judgment.
And Julianna thanked Les Moonves for keeping dramas on at 10 o'clock, zing Jeff Zucker.
Historical Examples
I saw the small stab of flame, heard the zing of the bullet.
Beyond the Vanishing PointRaymond King Cummings
"Zing, Jasper," cried Cap'n Jack, when one verse was completed.
The BirthrightJoseph Hocking
Any koot zinger can zing a peautiful zong and kif bleasure, I zubboce!
TrilbyGeorge Du Maurier
It looked as if we were going to win the game, and then zing!
Pitching in a PinchChristy Mathewson
Zing, zing, zing—I hate your old heat a-singin' in my ears all the gosh-blamed time!
zing
- a short high-pitched buzzing sound, as of a bullet or vibrating string
- vitality; zest
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- (intr) to make or move with or as if with a high-pitched buzzing sound
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Word Origin
C20: of imitative origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for zing
n.
1911, "high pitched sound," 1918, of echoic origin. Slang meaning "energy, zest" is attested from 1918.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper