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zone
comfort zone
1. A place, activity, situation, or psychological state in which a person feels free from anxiety and is within his or her realm of ability, experience, security, and/or control. Though it is often outside your comfort zone, traveling to foreign countries gives you a much greater perspective on how other people in the world live. The new job is a little out of my comfort zone, but it will give me a great opportunity to see what I'm truly capable of.
2. The temperature range wherein the human body feels naturally comfortable, being neither too hot nor too cold. Many retired Americans, being more sensitive to the cold, settle in Florida, where the balmy weather better suits their comfort zones.
friend zone
1. noun Where someone is said to be when the object of their affection only sees them as a friend, rather than as a potential romantic partner. This term is usually (but not always) applied to males. If Bella cries to you about all of her bad dates but never asks you out, I'm afraid you're in the friend zone, dude.
2. verb To treat someone who is romantically interested in one as a friend, rather than as a potential romantic partner. When used as a verb, this phrase is usually written as one word. Why are you friendzoning Zack? He's a good guy, you should go out with him.
zone something as something
to create a particular legally defined area within a governmental or other local area. They zoned this area as a shopping district. The city council zoned the vacant lot as a park.
zone something for something
to specify what can be built or what can be done within a particular legally defined area within a governmental area. Did the council zone this area for business? They zoned this area for residences.
zone something off
to create a special regulatory zone in an area. The council zoned part of the land off for a park. They zoned off land for a park.
zone out
to not notice or stop being interested in what is happening around you When I'm dancing I zone out and feel like I'm the only one in the room. I just flew in from Europe this morning, so don't get upset if I just zone out in the middle of the meeting.
the twilight zone
the area where one thing ends and another begins, especially when it is not clear exactly where or when this happens (often + between ) She'd been unconscious ever since she fell, trapped in the twilight zone between life and death.
in the zone
(mainly American informal) If you are in the zone, you are happy or excited because you are doing something easily and with skill. My legs are feeling strong and my breathing's good - I'm in the zone!
zone out
Stop paying attention, dissociate oneself from a situation. Also, engage in a mindless activity. For example,
When Felicia starts talking about her ailments and her friends' ailments, I totally zone out . This idiom also occurs in the passive,
be zoned out. It originally alluded to narcotic intoxication and then was broadened to other kinds of dissociation. For a near synonym, see
tune out, def. 2. [
Slang; second half of 1900s]
zone for
v. To restrict some section of an area or territory to some specific use: That area used to be farmland until the city zoned it for industrial use. That entire block is zoned for residences, so you can't open a business there.
zone off
v. To restrict or reserve a section of some area or territory: The city zoned off these blocks for commercial use. The police zoned the town hall off from vehicular traffic.
zone out
v. Slang 1. To lose concentration or become inattentive: I sensed the class was zoning out, so I started talking louder.
2. To lose awareness of one's surroundings: An hour after I took the cough syrup, I lay back in bed and zoned out.
3. To refuse to pay attention to someone or something; ignore someone or something: The athlete zoned out the jeering crowd and made the free-throw shot. Every time I try to give you advice, you zone out everything I say.
4. To cause someone or something to lose awareness of one's surroundings: The medication that I take zones me out.
5. To exclude someone or something by restricting a section of an area or territory: Farmers complain that the government has zoned them out of the best farmland. The city zoned out adult entertainment companies.
in the O-zone
mod. dead; on the verge of death; showing the O-sign. (With the mouth hanging open, like the letter O.) This patient is in the O-zone. Ready to go at any minute.
in the Q-zone
mod. dead; on the verge of death; with the mouth showing the Q-sign. Look at that tongue hanging out. This guy’s in the Q-zone.
war zone
n. an area where things get rough; a tough neighborhood. Unfortunately our offices are in a war zone, and we have to be on the way home before dark.
zoned (out)
1. mod. alcohol or drug intoxicated. What’s the matter with your eyes? Get a little zoned last night?
2. mod. exhausted. After a day like this, I’m really zoned.
zoned
verb in the zone
Informal In a state of focused attention or energy so that one's performance is enhanced: a goalie who was in the zone throughout the playoffs.