zizz
/zɪz
/informal, chiefly British
noun [in singular]
1A whizzing or buzzing sound: the metallic zizz of the starter motor...
- From the metallic zizz of the starter motor and the first flurry of revs to the final frantic thrashings of the crankshaft, this is swansong motoring.
2A short sleep: Angus was in his basket having a zizz...
- A ham sandwich and a cup of revitalising tea were sufficient to send me instantly into an afternoon zizz.
- But sometimes a quick zizz for 15 or 20 minutes is wonderfully reviving.
- Actually, I'd been woken from my second sleep, having got up before light to do a bit of writing, come over all tired and weary, and slipped back for a bit of a zizz.
verb [no object]
1Make a whizzing or buzzing sound: the banger started zizzing furiously...
- When you've spent two weeks zizzing around on the hyper-fast, hyper-efficient French trains, the UK railways just don't compare.
- But there's such a thing as having everything too well sorted out by half, a fly caught in amber when it should still be zizzing busily around.
- We dawdled in the general direction of the city and then sat around in Bow looking down at the cars zizzing past at high speed.
2Doze; sleep: Louise zizzed most of the time, stretched out on a sofa
Origin
Early 19th century: imitative.