z's
Americannoun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Finally, ties were broken based on things like which word was the most fun to say or whether any of the word choices included especially cool letters like z’s or w’s.
From Slate • Sep. 2, 2015
“You want to catch a few z’s in my office?”
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.