zizzyadj.
/ˈzɪzi/, U.S. /ˈzɪzi/ colloquial.
1. Characterized by or involving a buzzing or whizzing sound. Now rare.In quot. 1843 in figurative context.
ΚΠ
1843 ‘R. Carlton’ New Purchase II. lx. 269 Conversation, where one is ardent and the other cold, becomes sissee or zizzy:—a dialogue between cold water and hot iron.
1903 Newark (Ohio) Daily Advocate 22 July 7/4 The zippy, zoomy, zizzy note he [sc. a mosquito] sings as swift as he flies.
1964 Radio, Television & Hobbies (Austral.) Oct. 83/2 That open, slightly ‘zizzy’ sound of a wide-range, high fidelity unit.
2. Vibrant, lively, energetic. Cf. zizz n. 2. Now chiefly British.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > splendour > [adjective] > of fine or gay appearance
gay?c1225
jollyc1380
gallantc1420
show-worthy1542
gaud-glorious1555
brave1568
of show1580
gaudy1583
braving1600
cavalier1670
showish1675
showy1712
braw1724
branky1790
viewy1850
cheesy1858
cheesy1863
jazzified1920
jazzed1922
zizzy1966
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [adjective] > in action, conduct, or habit
freec1300
unbridledc1374
riotous?1456
liberala1500
unrestrained1531
libertine1593
relaxed1623
long-waisted1647
self-abandoning1817
laissez-aller1818
self-abandoned1833
uninhibited1880
un-Victorian1908
leggo1943
zizzy1966
loose1968
1966 Guardian 5 Feb. 7/6 And who's going to pay for ‘Danger Man’ with that zizzy Patrick McGoohan, then?
1976 Times 4 Oct. 7 My wife said I should wear a dark suit but I did risk a particularly zizzy tie.
1995 Independent 20 May 29 A question..of London being a lot more zizzy than Paris.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1843