z's

American  

[zeez] / ziz /

Or Z's

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. sleep (often used with grab, catch, etc.).

   to grab some z's before dinner.

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Etymology

Origin of z's

First recorded in 1960–65; from the conventional use of a series of z's to represent snoring

Example Sentences

It’s like a mini sensory deprivation pod, perfect for catching some z’s mid-flight.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2024

Horses have specialized anatomical features that enable them to stay on their hooves while catching some z's.

From Scientific American • Jun. 12, 2023

The study found that Northern elephant seals sleep far less at sea than they do on land, and the z’s they do catch at sea are caught hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface.

From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2023

Next to my bed, I played an eight-hour recording of someone snoring like a runaway freight train, while I wore the Sleepbuds to see whether I could still catch some z’s.

From Washington Post • Jul. 26, 2018

Only Momma could decipher the lacy handwriting with its long, tall letters all bunched together and the lines running into one another because of the long-tailed, fancy z’s and f’s and g’s.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt