zilch English · revision 1218

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /zɪlt͡ʃ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is unknown.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) It is probably a nonsense syllable suggesting zero and the end of the alphabet,^(Etymonline) perhaps influenced by [[zip]] and [[nil]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) It is linked with ''Mister Zilch'', a comical stock name for an insignificant person,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) used for Elmer Zilch in the humour magazine ''Ballyhoo'' from 1931.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Barnhart records ''Mister Zilch'' as a nickname in 1931,^(Barnhart 1995) and Etymonline gives the sense “insignificant person” from 1933.^(Etymonline) The OED's first quotation for the meaning “nothing” is from 1931.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Barnhart records a sense of gibberish in 1960,^(Barnhart 1995) and the meaning “nil, zero” in 1966,^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) which is now the usual one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) A sporting verb, to keep the other side from scoring, appeared in 1969.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1931 – ''Mister Zilch'' and the sense nothing, nil.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1933 – an insignificant person.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1960 – meaningless talk.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1966 – zero, nothing.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1969 – verb, to keep scoreless.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[zero|alt=Zero]]; nothing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An insignificant person; a [[nonentity]].^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Amounting to nothing; [[nil]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # In sport, to keep the opponents from scoring; to defeat soundly.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[zip]]

+ * [[nil]]

+ * [[zero]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}