Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
Meanings
Representing a humming sound
Makowsky was playing the Bassgeige. Zoom... zoom-zoom.... The rest of the orchestra would join in presently. 1918, Annie Vivanti Chartres, The Outrage, page 196:
Suggesting something moving quickly
I would dance a few light fantastic steps to show which way the wind lay, and zoom! Like a breeze I was on the piano stool and doing a velocity exercise. 1939, Henry Miller, Tropic of Capricorn, Grove Press, published 1962, page 244:
Suggesting a sudden change, especially an improvement or an increase
Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A humming noise from something moving very fast.
the zoom of traffic
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A quick ascent.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A big increase.
(countable, uncountable) An augmentation of a view, by varying the focal length of a lens, or digitally.
What's the zoom like on your camera?
(slang, uncountable) A recreational drug comprising a mixture of PCP and cannabis.
ka ციცაბო აღმართი (quick ascent) · fi suurennus (augmentation of a view) · bg увеличение (big increase) · ka ბზუილი (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it ingrandimento (big increase) · id zum (augmentation of a view) · hu zoom (augmentation of a view) · gl medra (big increase) · ru гул (humming noise from something moving very fast) · pl obiektyw zmiennoogniskowy (augmentation of a view) · id keker (augmentation of a view) · ms luru (augmentation of a view) · gl abouxada (humming noise from something moving very fast) · fi räjähdys (big increase) · de brummendes Geräusch (humming noise from something moving very fast) · nv ts’iziil (humming noise from something moving very fast) · ru гуде́ние (humming noise from something moving very fast) · ka ზუზუნი (humming noise from something moving very fast) · pl zoom (augmentation of a view) · it salita (quick ascent) · de Brummen (humming noise from something moving very fast) · gl suba (quick ascent) · de Vergrößerung (big increase) · gl burbia (humming noise from something moving very fast) · nn zoom (augmentation of a view) · pt zoom (augmentation of a view) · gl balbordo (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it rombo (humming noise from something moving very fast) · gl cremento (augmentation of a view) · nb zoom (augmentation of a view) · gl balbor (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it rimbombo (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it cabrata (quick ascent) · bg уголемяване на част от екрана (augmentation of a view) · fr vrombissement (humming noise from something moving very fast) · da brummen (humming noise from something moving very fast) · pt zumbido (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it fragore (humming noise from something moving very fast) · he זום (augmentation of a view) · gl arrequento (augmentation of a view) · es aumento (augmentation of a view) · id mencuat (quick ascent) · es zoom (augmentation of a view) · it zumata (augmentation of a view) · gl acrescemento (augmentation of a view) · id membesar (big increase) · gl chío (humming noise from something moving very fast) · ka გუგუნი (humming noise from something moving very fast) · de Vergrößerung (augmentation of a view) · fi suhahdus (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it rintrono (humming noise from something moving very fast) · gl zoeira (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it ingrandimento (augmentation of a view) · fi zoomaus (augmentation of a view) · gl crécima (big increase) · bg рязко изкачяане (quick ascent) · ru зум (augmentation of a view) · ms zum (augmentation of a view) · fr sifflement (humming noise from something moving very fast) · ka გადიდება (augmentation of a view) · fi nopea nousu (quick ascent) · de schneller Aufstieg (quick ascent) · fi lähennys (augmentation of a view) · bg бръмчене (humming noise from something moving very fast) · es zumbido (humming noise from something moving very fast) · id ngung (humming noise from something moving very fast) · gl zoada (humming noise from something moving very fast) · id fokus (augmentation of a view) · it impennata (quick ascent) · gl zóo (humming noise from something moving very fast) · it boato (humming noise from something moving very fast) · gl zunido (humming noise from something moving very fast) · ru жужжа́ние (humming noise from something moving very fast)
Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
Meanings
To move fast with a humming noise.
He ran to his right and another shot came at his legs. It hit the floor and zoomed into a huge carboy of clams that split in half and emptied a hundred shell-fish over the floor. 1954, Ian Fleming, “Midnight Among The Worms”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 160:
We zoomed along the highway.
[…] and it was strange sitting in their brand-new comfortable car and hearing them talk of exams as we zoomed smoothly into town. 1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, On the Road, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →OCLC:
To zoom climb.
To move rapidly.
To go up sharply.
prices zoomed
To change the focal length of a zoom lens.
To manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it.
to zoom in or zoom out
(transitive) To check someone out; to investigate someone that one is interested in.
"It boggles my mind what kind of mentality is at work there." He pointed to two recent issues of the magazine that featured cover stories were about Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross, two pop music icons whose sexual orientations have been widely speculated on in Black lesbian and gay communities. "It makes you wonder if it's an insult to the intelligence of Essence’s lesbian and gay leadership," Cunningham said. "Who's really zooming whom here?" 1990 December 16, Chris Nealon, quoting Al Cunningham, “Essence Magazine Agrees To Run Gay Advertisement”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 22, page 13:
(Who's zoomin' who?) / Take another look and tell me, baby / (Who's zoomin' who?) / Who's zoomin' who? / (Who's zoomin' who?) / Now the fish jumped off the hook, didn't I, baby? / (Who's zoomin' who?) / Yeah 1985 August 27, Aretha Franklin, Preston Glass, Narada Michael Walden, “Who's Zoomin' Who”, in Who's Zoomin' Who?, performed by Aretha Franklin, track 4:
bg бръмча (to move very fast with a humming noise) · bg уголемявам част от екрана (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · ms luru (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · fr cabrer (to fly an airplane straight up) · ru прореве́ть (to move very fast with a humming noise) · id perbesar (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · de surren (to move very fast with a humming noise) · is þysja (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · pt zumbir (to move very fast with a humming noise) · ru уме́ньшить (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · ru увели́чить (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · ro zooma (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · fi suhahtaa (to move very fast with a humming noise) · fi nousta suoraan ylös (to fly an airplane straight up) · ja 猛スピードで進む (to move rapidly) · id zum (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · it zoomare (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · fi suurentaa (zoom in) (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · de schwirren (to move very fast with a humming noise) · fi suurentaa (zoom in) (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · de schwirren (to go up sharply) · nl zoeven (to move very fast with a humming noise) · mi topa (to move rapidly) · ru пронести́сь (to move rapidly) · ru прожужжа́ть (to move very fast with a humming noise) · sv for (to move rapidly) · id perkecil (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · ar كَبَّرَ (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · kix tâsīm (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · hu ráközelít (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · ar قَرَّبَ (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · sv rusade (to go up sharply) · hu zoomol (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · sv rusade (to move rapidly) · eo zomi (to move rapidly) · eo zomi (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · tr zoomlamak (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · bg уголемявам (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · tr zoomlamak (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · ru жужжа́ть (to move very fast with a humming noise) · id keker (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · de schwirren (to fly an airplane straight up) · fi pienentää (zoom out) (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · eo zomi (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · it cabrare (to fly an airplane straight up) · tr zoom yapmak (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · mr जूम करणे (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · sv sköt iväg (to go up sharply) · pt dar zoom (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · fi pienentää (zoom out) (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · vi thu phóng (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · fi lähentää (zoom in) (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · tr yakınlaştırmak (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · ru нести́сь (to move rapidly) · fi zoomata (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · sv förminska (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · fi räjähtää (to go up sharply) · pt dar zoom (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · sv förstora (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · ru реве́ть (to move very fast with a humming noise) · tr zoom yapmak (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · de zoomen (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · de schwirren (to move rapidly) · tr büyütmek (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · bg издигам се рязко (to fly an airplane straight up) · es zumbar (to move very fast with a humming noise) · fi syöksyä (to move rapidly) · fi loitontaa (zoom out) (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · sv zooma (to manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it) · fi zoomata (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · ar صَغَّرَ (to change the focal length of a zoom lens) · ar بَعَّدَ (to change the focal length of a zoom lens)
A genericization of the trademark Zoom, a video teleconferencing software.
Meanings
A video teleconferencing call.
Then, later that day, I logged onto a zoom call and my mother and I set up our yoga mats in the living room, as we had been doing a couple of times a week during the pandemic. 2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times: