Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, plural zones, present participle zoning, past tense, past participle zoned
1. countable noun [oft noun NOUN]
A zone is an area that has particular features or characteristics.
Many people have stayed behind in the potential war zone.
The area has been declared a disaster zone.
...time zones.
Synonyms: area, region, section, sector More Synonyms of zone
2. verb [usually passive]
If an area of land is zoned, it is formally set aside for a particular purpose.
The land was not zoned for commercial purposes. [beVERB-ed]
Most of the private land in the park wasn't zoned or protected in any way. [beVERB-ed]
zoninguncountable noun
...the use of zoning to preserve agricultural land.
Local zoning laws prohibit building near property lines.
Phrasal verbs:
See zone out
zone in British English
(zəʊn)
noun
1.
a region, area, or section characterized by some distinctive feature or quality
2.
a sphere of thought, disagreement, argument, etc
3.
an area subject to a particular political, military, or government function, use,or jurisdiction
a demilitarized zone
4. (often capital) geography
one of the divisions of the earth's surface, esp divided into latitudinal belts according to temperature
Torrid Zone, Frigid Zone, Temperate Zone
5. geology
a distinctive layer or region of rock, characterized by particular fossils (zone fossils), metamorphism, structural deformity, etc
6. ecology
an area, esp a belt of land, having a particular flora and fauna determined by the prevailing environmental conditions
7. mathematics
a portion of a sphere between two parallel planes intersecting the sphere
8. archaic or literary
a girdle or belt
9. New Zealand
a section on a transport route; fare stage
10. New Zealand
a catchment area for pupils for a specific school
11. in the zone
verb(transitive)
12.
to divide into zones, as for different use, jurisdiction, activities, etc
13.
to designate as a zone
14.
to mark with or divide into zones
15. New Zealand
to establish (an area) as a zone for a specific school
Derived forms
zoning (ˈzoning)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin zōna girdle, climatic zone, from Greek zōnē
zone in American English
(zoʊn)
noun
1.
an encircling band, stripe, course, etc. distinct in color, texture, structure, etc. from the surrounding medium
2.
any of the five great latitudinal divisions of the earth's surface, named according to the prevailingclimate: see Frigid Zone, Temperate Zone, Torrid Zone
3.
any area or region considered as separate or distinct from others because of itsparticular use, crops, plant or animal life, status in time of war, geological features, etc.
a canal zone, cotton zone, demilitarized zone
4. US
a.
any section or district in a city restricted by law for a particular use, as for homes, parks, businesses, etc.
b.
any space along a street or road restricted in a specified way, esp. by traffic regulations
“no parking” zone
5. US
a.
any of the numbered sections into which a postal area is divided, as in the ZIP Code system
b.
any of a series of ring-shaped areas concentric on a given point, each having a different parcel-post rate
6. US
a district within which a uniform rate is charged, as by a transportation system
7.
time zone
8. Archaic
a belt or girdle
9. Ancient Mathematics
a part of the surface of a sphere lying between two parallel planes that intersect the figure
10. Sport
any of the areas into which a football field, basketball court, etc. is divided, as for defense
verb transitiveWord forms: zoned or ˈzoning
11.
to mark off or divide into zones
; specif.,
a. US
to divide (a city, etc.) into areas determined by specific restrictions on types of construction, as into residential and business areas
b. US
to limit to a certain use by designating as or placing in a zone (sense 4) zone (sense 4a)
12.
to surround with or as with a belt or zone; encircle
13.
to mark with bands or stripes
Idioms:
in the zone
zone out
Word origin
Fr < L zona < Gr zōnē, a belt < zōnnynai, to gird < IE *yosmen- < base *yos-, to gird > OSlav pojaśǫ, to gird
More idioms containing
zone
be in the zone
COBUILD Collocations
zone
conflict zone
secure zone
Examples of 'zone' in a sentence
zone
This win lifted them out of the relegation zone.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Orient are only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
The Sun (2016)
We got a war zone in our own backyard.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Now they are just two ahead and only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
The Sun (2016)
What is to stop Scotland having its own time zone?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At any moment, you sense the place will become a war zone.
The Sun (2017)
It has three alarms, three time zones and a perpetual calendar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have called for urgent humanitarian access to besieged areas and have urged the government to establish a no-fly zone.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's turning into a war zone: people will end up being killed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But they are not used in war zones.
The Sun (2009)
The adults in their lives are disaster zones or dead.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You get taken out of your comfort zone by people you meet for the first time.
The Sun (2012)
Villa are nine points above the drop zone and are surely playing only for prize money now.
The Sun (2014)
Marine conservation zones limit commercial fishing and allow islanders to fish sustainably.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The protection and surveillance zones around infected areas will also remain in place.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The future has always been the time zone in which he feels most comfortable.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The euro would become a zone of instability.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Why are they not being used in the war zone?
The Sun (2010)
But lending in euros within the zone was supposed to be free of such risks.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Tens of thousands of troops were mobilised and aid airlifted into the disaster zone.
The Sun (2008)
Their appearance was outside the comfort zone of most people today.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It was always going to be about trying to stay out of the relegation zone.
The Sun (2014)
They are just one point clear of the drop zone after no wins in eight.
The Sun (2013)
Some flights may be lengthy but do not cross to another time zone.
Mayes, Kathleen Beat Jet Lag - arrive alert and stay alert (1991)
Gaming zones have become a major part of the retail industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Do 20mph zones in urban areas save lives?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But what we do know is that Santa uses time zones to make the most of the little time he does have.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
zone
British English: zone /zəʊn/ NOUN
A zone is an area that has particular features or characteristics.
The area has been declared a disaster zone.
American English: zone
Arabic: مِنْطَقَة
Brazilian Portuguese: zona
Chinese: 地带
Croatian: zona
Czech: zóna
Danish: zone
Dutch: zone
European Spanish: zona
Finnish: vyöhyke
French: zone
German: Zone
Greek: ζώνη
Italian: zona
Japanese: 地帯
Korean: 지대
Norwegian: sone
Polish: strefa
European Portuguese: zona
Romanian: zonă
Russian: зона
Latin American Spanish: zona
Swedish: zon
Thai: โซน แถบ เขต
Turkish: bölge savaş, kuraklık
Ukrainian: зона
Vietnamese: vùng
All related terms of 'zone'
T-zone
the T-shaped area of a person's face that includes the forehead , nose, and chin
arid zone
either of the zones of latitude 15–30° N and S characterized by very low rainfall and desert or semidesert terrain
dead zone
an area of water that cannot support marine life, being virtually devoid of oxygen due to the presence of nitrates that stimulate algae growth
drop zone
(in a military operation) an area designated for the landing of troops or supplies
end zone
In American football , an end zone is one of the areas at each end of the field that the ball must cross for a touchdown to be scored .
fan zone
a public area where refreshments and entertainment are provided to fans before and during a nearby event
fare zone
a section of a bus journey for which a set charge is made
free zone
an area at a port where certain customs restrictions are not implemented
hot zone
a variable area towards the end of a line of text that informs the operator that a decision must be taken as to whether to hyphenate or begin a new line
life zone
any of a series of biogeographic zones into which a continent , region, etc. is divided both by latitude and altitude on the basis of the characteristic animal and plant life in a zone
pay zone
A pay zone is a reservoir or part of a reservoir that contains hydrocarbons that can be extracted economically .
skip zone
a region surrounding a broadcasting station that cannot receive transmissions either directly or by reflection off the ionosphere
time zone
A time zone is one of the areas into which the world is divided where the time is calculated as being a particular number of hours behind or ahead of GMT.
war zone
an area where a war is taking place or there is some other violent conflict
zone out
If you zone out , you stop being aware of what is happening around you, either because you are relaxed or because you are bored .
Arctic Zone
of or relating to the regions north of the Arctic Circle
battle zone
an area where a battle or battles are being fought
buffer zone
A buffer zone is an area created to separate opposing forces or groups which belongs to neither of them.
Canal Zone
a former administrative region of the US, on the Isthmus of Panama around the Panama Canal : bordered on each side by the Republic of Panama, into which it was incorporated in 1979
combat zone
(in warfare ) an area where fighting is taking place
crush zone
The crush zone is the part of a vehicle's bodywork that is designed to absorb the energy in a crash , reducing the amount that is felt by passengers inside the vehicle.
danger zone
a dangerous area
friend zone
a notional area populated by people one wishes to retain as friends but not consider as potential romantic partners
Frigid Zone
the cold region inside the Arctic or Antarctic Circle where the sun's rays are very oblique
Green Zone
(since the invasion of Iraq by US-led forces, and the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003) the area of central Baghdad used by the coalition and civilian authorities, subject to high security
photic zone
the uppermost layer in a body of water into which daylight penetrates in sufficient amounts to influence living organisms, esp. by permitting photosynthesis
safety zone
A safety zone is a place in the middle of a road crossing where you can wait before you cross the other half of the road.
secure zone
A zone is an area that has particular features or characteristics.
Soviet Zone
that part of Germany occupied by Soviet forces in 1945–49: transformed into the German Democratic Republic in 1949–50
speed zone
an area where a different, usually reduced, speed limit is in effect
strike zone
the area over home plate, between the batter's knees and armpits , through which the ball must be pitched for a strike to be called by the umpire
Torrid Zone
that part of the earth's surface lying between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
zone fossil
a fossil species that characterizes and is used to delimit a geological zone
abyssal zone
the ecological zone along the deep ocean floor between the bathyal and hadal zones
Benioff zone
a long narrow region, usually adjacent to a continent , along which earthquake foci lie on a plane which dips downwards at about 45° and along which the oceanic lithosphere is thought to be descending into the earth's interior
climatic zone
any of the eight principal zones , roughly demarcated by lines of latitude , into which the earth can be divided on the basis of climate
comfort zone
If a situation or activity is out of your comfort zone , it does not make you feel secure, comfortable, or in control.
conflict zone
A zone is an area that has particular features or characteristics.
disaster zone
an area or region hit by a disaster
economic zone
the coastal water and sea bed around a country's shores , to which it claims exclusive rights for fishing, oil exploration , etc
euphotic zone
the layer of sea water that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur: it varies greatly with season and latitude , from 0 to 1200 ft. (0–360 m)
fracture zone
a long, narrow rift on the ocean floor , separating areas of differing depth : where such a zone crosses a mid-ocean ridge , it displaces the ridge by faulting
Russian Zone
that part of Germany occupied by Soviet forces in 1945–49: transformed into the German Democratic Republic in 1949–50
security zone
an area controlled by security forces
towaway zone
an area where it is illegal to park , from which motor vehicles may be towed away
Tropical Zone
→ Torrid Zone
twilight zone
any indefinite or transitional condition or area
zone defence
a tactic whereby each player in a team defends a particular area of the pitch or field
zone refining
a technique for producing solids of extreme purity , esp for use in semiconductors . The material, in the form of a bar , is melted in one small region that is passed along the solid. Impurities concentrate in the melt and are moved to the end of the bar
zone therapy
a type of massage which works on the theory that specific parts of the foot or palm of the hand are associated with different parts of the body, and that massaging the feet or hands will give the patient relief from disorders in the related part of the body
Chinese translation of 'zone'
zone
(zəun)
n(c)
(= area) 地带(帶) (dìdài) (个(個), gè)
(noun)
Definition
a region, area, or section characterized by some distinctive feature or quality
The area has been declared a disaster zone.
Synonyms
area
the large number of community groups in the area
region
a remote mountain region
section
Kolonarai is a lovely residential section of Athens.
sector
Officers were going to retake sectors of the city.
district
I drove around the business district.
territory
They deny that any of their territory is under rebel control.
belt
a belt of trees
sphere
the sphere of international politics
tract
A vast tract of land is ready for development.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of belt
Definition
an area where a specific thing is found
a belt of trees
Synonyms
zone,
area,
region,
section,
sector,
district,
stretch,
strip,
layer,
patch,
portion,
tract
in the sense of district
Definition
an area which has recognizable or special features
I drove around the business district.
Synonyms
area,
community,
region,
sector,
quarter,
ward,
parish,
neighbourhood,
vicinity,
locality,
locale,
neck of the woods (informal)
in the sense of region
Definition
an area considered as a unit for geographical or social reasons
a remote mountain region
Synonyms
area,
country,
place,
part,
land,
quarter,
division,
section,
sector,
district,
territory,
zone,
province,
patch,
turf (slang),
tract,
expanse,
locality
Synonyms of 'zone'
zone
Explore 'zone' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of section
Definition
a distinct part of a country or community
Kolonarai is a lovely residential section of Athens.
Synonyms
district,
area,
region,
sector,
zone
in the sense of sector
Definition
a portion into which an area is divided for military operations
Officers were going to retake sectors of the city.
Synonyms
area,
part,
region,
district,
zone,
quarter,
belt,
neighbourhood,
tract
in the sense of sphere
Definition
a particular field of activity
the sphere of international politics
Synonyms
field,
range,
area,
department (informal),
function,
territory,
capacity,
province,
patch,
scope,
turf (slang),
realm,
domain,
compass,
walk of life
in the sense of territory
Definition
the geographical area under the control of a particular government
They deny that any of their territory is under rebel control.