twilight zone

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A moving line that divides the daylit side and the dark night side of a planetary body.

2. 2

   A region or context located in between others and therefore not subject to their norms.

   • As to this right, therefore, the people have expressly created a twilight zone, in which neither nation nor state can act.
   • They were interesting because they represented a sort of twilight zone separating the "old days" from modern times.
   • ...the classification scheme related to goods which lay in a "twilight zone" between consumer goods and equipment or between inventory and farm products.
3. 3

   A deteriorating area surrounding a central business district.

   • Geographically speaking, the twilight zone encompasses those areas that lie between the central business district and the first ring of suburban shopping centers, many of which are comparatively obsolete.
4. ›+ 6 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Synonym of mesopelagic zone (“the part of the ocean where there is very minimal light,…

      Synonym of mesopelagic zone (“the part of the ocean where there is very minimal light, located below the photic epipelagic zone but above the aphotic bathypelagic zone.”).

   2. 5

      To put or place into an indeterminate position

      To put or place into an indeterminate position; to be in an ambiguous, undetermined, or improper context.

      • Sometimes I think she's really a gym teacher twilight-zoned into the corridors of government. I'm always surprised to see that it's a gold, clipless Cross pen she's carrying and not a gym whistle.
   3. 6

      To cause to daydream or zone out

      To cause to daydream or zone out; to cause to lose attention to one's surroundings.

      • "I've been distant and into myself all night," I said. "The kids say I get twilight zoned."
   4. 7

      A region in which surreal, supernatural, or fantastic events occur.

      • Oh, I can't talk right now, Duke. I'm in the twilight zone.
      • Ground controllers were uncertain for some agonizing hours what had happened to the spacecraft [...] "We have entered the twilight zone," dead-panned one jaded engineer.
      • Suddenly, to her astonishment and mine, it turned black and blue! I wondered if we'd just entered the twilight zone.
   5. 8

      To experience or perceive something bizarre or fantastic.

      • Then a gnome like white haired lady, bent like a human question mark, lurched toward me and asked if I was the mailman. [...] I was Twilight Zoning.
   6. 9

      To behave or occur in a confusing or unexpected manner.

      • The service is likely from a bad twilight zone episode. [...] I did get what I required but I had to ask lots of questions as the communication was Twilight Zoning often.

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