zap
zap — exclamation
1. a word used in comic strips, cartoons, or casual writing to show the sound or mo
a word used in comic strips, cartoons, or casual writing to show the sound or moment when someone or something is struck suddenly
Zap! The superhero's laser beam hit the robot right in the chest.
onomatopoeia at start of utterance
Zap! Another mosquito flew into the electric bug lamp and died instantly.
The comic showed a bank robber getting hit — Zap! — and falling to the floor.
Zap! The fence gave the dog a small shock and he jumped back in surprise.
zap — noun
1. a short, sharp electric shock that passes through a person, animal, or object, o
a short, sharp electric shock that passes through a person, animal, or object, often after touching something faulty
Ingrid got a zap when she touched the metal railing after walking across the carpet.
get a zap — common collocation for receiving a shock
The old refrigerator gives a small zap if you touch the back panel while running.
A zap from the electric fence sent Ramón tumbling backward onto the grass.
Asher felt a zap in his fingertip when he plugged in the broken lamp.
The bug zapper on the balcony kills insects each night with a loud zap.
文法句型
a zap
get a zap
feel a zap
用法筆記
Countable — you can count individual zaps. Frequently appears with 'get,' 'feel,' or 'give' as the verb pairing.
常見錯誤
2. a sudden, brief feeling of extra energy, excitement, or liveliness that makes yo
a sudden, brief feeling of extra energy, excitement, or liveliness that makes you feel more alert or active
A cold shower gave Gita a zap of energy that helped her finish the run.
a zap of [energy/excitement/vitality] — core pattern
The crowd's loud cheers gave the band a zap of excitement during the final song.
Selim's speech needed a zap of enthusiasm to wake up the sleepy audience before lunch.
That double espresso gave Bao the zap he needed to finish his essay.
The team's late goal sent a zap of joy through every fan in the stadium.
文法句型
a zap of [energy/excitement/vitality]
用法筆記
Always followed by 'of' plus an abstract noun (energy, excitement, vitality, enthusiasm). The cause is usually something external — a drink, a sound, a piece of news.
zap — verb
- zappresent simple I / you / we / they
- zapshe / she / it
- zappedpast simple
- zapping-ing form
1. to remove, destroy, or kill someone or something deliberately and often with sud
to remove, destroy, or kill someone or something deliberately and often with sudden force, especially using a weapon, chemical, or electronic device
The gardener zapped the dandelions with weed killer before they spread across the lawn.
zap + object + with [method]
Eli zapped the computer virus by installing the latest security update.
Amira zapped the old spreadsheet files to free up space on the office server.
The soldier zapped the enemy drone with a single precise shot from his rifle.
Ingrid zapped the cockroach under the sink with a quick spray of insecticide.
文法句型
zap + object (person/thing/insect/file)
用法筆記
Informal and somewhat playful even when describing destruction. For serious violence, 'kill,' 'shoot,' or 'destroy' are more neutral. The object is typically a pest, a digital file, or a problem — rarely a person outside of sci-fi or joking.
常見錯誤
2. to go to a place or complete an action very quickly, often in a way that feels r
to go to a place or complete an action very quickly, often in a way that feels rushed or efficient
Ramón zapped over to the corner shop to buy milk before it closed.
zap + adverb of direction (over/around/through)
Sora zapped through the supermarket and was back home in less than fifteen minutes.
The delivery driver zapped across town to drop off the package before the deadline.
Lan zapped off a reply to the client before the lunch break even started.
The children zapped down the stairs when they heard the ice cream truck bell.
文法句型
zap + adverb/preposition (over/across/through/around)
用法筆記
Almost always followed by a direction word or prepositional phrase. Rarely used alone — 'He zapped' sounds incomplete without specifying where or how.
3. to switch between TV programmes quickly by pressing buttons on a remote control,
to switch between TV programmes quickly by pressing buttons on a remote control, often in order to skip commercials
Asher zapped past three adverts before stopping on a wildlife documentary about dolphins.
zap past [adverts/channels] — British usage
During the commercial break, Lukas zapped through all sixty channels twice without finding anything good.
My dad zaps past reality shows whenever one comes on and calls them rubbish.
Eli zapped to the sports channel just as the winning goal was scored.
Gita zapped the adverts during the film so she would not miss the next scene.
- flip (through)
American English equivalent
- channel surf
informal but neutral across dialects
- skip
broader — works for any medium, not just TV
文法句型
zap + [channels/ads]; zap through [channels]; zap past [adverts]
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, 'flip through channels' or 'channel surf' are more common. The object can be the channels, the ads, or the TV itself (informal).
常見錯誤
4. to cook or heat food inside a microwave oven, usually for a short time
to cook or heat food inside a microwave oven, usually for a short time
Lukas zapped leftover pizza for ninety seconds and ate it from a paper plate.
zap [food] for [time period] — standard pattern
Amira zapped a bowl of soup in the staff room microwave during her lunch break.
The frozen dinner box says to zap it for four minutes before eating.
Instead of cooking from scratch, Ingrid zapped a ready meal and called it dinner.
Bao zapped his coffee in the microwave for thirty seconds because it had gone cold.
文法句型
zap + food/dish for [time]
用法筆記
Very informal and slightly humorous. In a recipe or instruction manual, 'microwave' or 'heat in the microwave' is the standard choice. 'Zap' belongs in casual conversation.
常見錯誤
5. to strike someone or something suddenly and with powerful force, especially usin
to strike someone or something suddenly and with powerful force, especially using electricity, a laser beam, or weapon fire
The power line snapped and zapped a parked delivery van with thousands of volts.
zapped with [energy amount] — specifying the force
Selim's ray gun zapped the practice target right in the centre of its metal chest.
A bolt of lightning zapped the satellite dish on the roof during the thunderstorm.
The security fence zapped the intruder with a non-lethal electric pulse.
Two soldiers were zapped by an electric trap hidden near the entrance of the building.
文法句型
zap + object; be/get zapped by [electricity/lightning/weapon]
用法筆記
Often appears in passive form ('was zapped by lightning'). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is deliberate destruction (you choose to zap the weed), while sense 5 is about the striking event itself, which can be accidental (hit by lightning) or intentional (zapped by a weapon).