zap

plural zaps

1. colloquialA sound made by a sudden release of electricity or some similar energy.
2. colloquialAn electric shock.

   You might feel a little zap touching a metal doorknob when the air is dry.

3. A raucous public demonstration designed to embarrass a public figure or celebrity as a form of political activism.

   Black AIDS activists were caught in the middle of a nearly yearlong series of zaps.

   1998, Raymond A. Smith, Encyclopedia of AIDS

   1 more example

   When a zap at Brooklyn's Board of Education opened no dialogue on discrimination suffered by gay teachers, GAA targeted the BOE offices on April 13.

   2011, Michael Schiavi, Celluloid Activist: The Life and Times of Vito Russo, page 84

4. slangThe act of heating something in a microwave oven.

   The guest immediately asked the bartender to give his drink a zap in the microwave oven behind him […]

   2015, Thomas E. Johnson, West Meets East in Kazakhstan

present singular third person zaps · participle present zapping · participle past zapped · past zapped

1. intransitiveTo make a zap sound.
2. To use a remote control to repeatedly fast-forward or change channels on a television.

   Synonyms: channel surf, channel hop

3. To strike (something or someone) with electricity or energy, as by shooting.

   They spent the whole movie zapping bad guys into oblivion.

4. USslangtransitivegovernmentTo kill; to eliminate.

   Says a U. S. officer: "We zapped the enemy, now we intend to stick around. […]

   1966, U.S. News & World Report, volume 61, page 32

5. slangtransitiveTo do away with something.
6. slangtransitiveTo enliven.
7. slangtransitiveTo move or transport (something) in a brief time frame.
8. slangtransitiveTo damage (especially electronics) with electrostatic discharge.

   I think they zapped the processor.

9. slangtransitiveTo heat (something) in a microwave oven.

   If it's not warm in the middle, zap it some more.

10. slangtransitiveTo delete or discard (electronic media).

    They zapped a lot of files before realizing they had not backed up lately.

11. slangtransitiveTo further energize or charge (magnetic material).

    They zapped my motor's magnets.

12. SingaporeinformaltransitiveTo photocopy.

    Got to go and zap this document now.

    2004 October 19, Kevin & Lily Shepherdson, “Digital Life”, in The Straits Times, Singapore, page 16

13. To participate in a zap (protest) against.

    We are periodically assailed with appeals to help block this or censor that or zap the other media presentation which one or other of us thinks (often with justice) is injurious to gays or others.

    1976 April 3, 'A. Nolder Gay', “The View From The Closet”, in Gay Community News, page 16

1. Representing the sound or action of a zap.

   Then the computer went zap and I lost all my work.

   1 more example

   Zap is a comic-book hero - Zap! Powie! Kazoom!; why have you retired, Zap, when we need you so much?

   1975, Rennie Ellis, editors, Australian Graffiti, page [1]

1. A city and town in North Dakota.