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Zilch

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zilch¹

  • /zɪlt͡ʃ/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪltʃ

Where it comes from

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.

noun zilches

  1. archaic, countable, informal 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.
  2. informal, uncountable Nothing, zero. Her search for decent home-made winter clothes came up with zilch, so she had to get imported stuff.

adjective

  1. US, informal, not comparable No, zero, non-existent. Zilch, adj. Nothing, zero...

verb zilches · zilching · zilched

  1. US, informal To cause to score nothing, to thoroughly defeat. We zilched them on that rubber.

Zilch²

Where it comes from

From German Zilch. Found in America since at least the 1860s. As a 1930s placeholder surname of uncertain etymology, the eventual etymon of zilch.

proper noun

  1. A surname from German.

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