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zilch

noun
/zɪlt͡ʃ/US

Etymology

Probably from Joe Zilch, a placeholder name (compare John Doe) used by Nunnally Johnson in his column in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1923; in turn from Joe Zilch, an unseen character referenced in comedian Frank Tinney's stage routine. Compare the rare German surname Zilch.

  1. borrowed from Zilch

Definitions

  1. A nobody

    A nobody: a person who is worthless in importance or character.

    • President Henry P. Zilch. Chairman of the Board Charles D. Zilch. Treasurer Otto Zilch.
    • Bernarr MacZilch [for Bernarr Macfadden] and His Dynamic-Hooey System... The WEAKLING Who Became 'The World's Most Perfect Ass!'
    • Dinglegoofer, Mr. Zilch, indefinite nicknames.

  2. Nothing, zero.

    • Her search for decent home-made winter clothes came up with zilch, so she had to get imported stuff.
    • "If the homeless wind up with zilch," James retorted, veiling his indignation behind a malevolent smile, "it's because they deserve zilch."

  3. No, zero, non-existent.

    • Zilch, adj. Nothing, zero...
    • ...gorgeous faces but zilch talent...
  4. ›+ 2 more definitions

    1. To cause to score nothing, to thoroughly defeat.

      • We zilched them on that rubber.
      • My favorite film of 1989 got zilched... That would be Field of Dreams.

    2. A surname from German.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for zilch. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA