zilch

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word zilch. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word zilch, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say zilch in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word zilch you have here. The definition of the word zilch will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofzilch, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Zilch

English

WOTD – 31 July 2009

Etymology

Probably from Joe Zilch, a placeholder name (compare John Doe) used by Nunnally Johnson in his column in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1923; in turn from Joe Zilch, an unseen character referenced in comedian Frank Tinney's stage routine. Compare the rare German surname Zilch.

Pronunciation

Noun

zilch (countable and uncountable, plural zilches)

  1. (countable, informal, archaic) A nobody: a person who is worthless in importance or character.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:nonentity
    • 1931 July, Ballyhoo, Vol. I, No. 1, p. 1:
      President Henry P. Zilch. Chairman of the Board Charles D. Zilch. Treasurer Otto Zilch.
    • 1932 February, Ballyhoo, Vol. II, No. 1:
      Bernarr MacZilch and His Dynamic-Hooey System... The WEAKLING Who Became 'The World's Most Perfect Ass!'
    • 1940, Lester V. Berrey et al., The American Thesaurus of Slang, §184:
      Dinglegoofer, Mr. Zilch, indefinite nicknames.
  2. (uncountable, informal) Nothing, zero.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:nothing
    Her search for decent home-made winter clothes came up with zilch, so she had to get imported stuff.
    • 1991, Judith Arnold, One Good Turn, page 104:
      "If the homeless wind up with zilch," James retorted, veiling his indignation behind a malevolent smile, "it's because they deserve zilch."

Translations

Adjective

zilch (not comparable)

  1. (informal, chiefly US) No, zero, non-existent.
    • 1966, University of South Dakota, Current Slang:
      Zilch, adj. Nothing, zero...
    • 1977 February 3, The Telegraph, page 14:
      ...gorgeous faces but zilch talent...

Verb

zilch (third-person singular simple present zilches, present participle zilching, simple past and past participle zilched)

  1. (informal, US sports) To cause to score nothing, to thoroughly defeat.
    • 1969, University of South Dakota, Current Slang:
      We zilched them on that rubber.
    • 1990 April 2, USA Today, page 20:
      My favorite film of 1989 got zilched... That would be Field of Dreams.

Synonyms

References

  1. ^ Nancy Friedman (August 30, 2021) "Word of the week: Zilch" Fritinancy
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia