Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ZEND, n.

A language that formerly prevailed in Persia.

ZEND'A-VES-TA, n.

Among the Persees, a sacred book ascribed to Zoroaster, and reverenced as a bible, or sole rule of faith and practice. It is often called Zend, by contraction.

ZE'NITH, n. [Fr.; It. zenit; Sp. zenit or cenit. I have not found the oriental original.]

That point in the visible celestial hemisphere, which is vertical to the spectator, and from which a direct perpendicular line passing through the spectator, and extended, would proceed to the center of the earth. It is opposed to nadir.

ZE'O-LITE, n. [Gr. ζεω, to boil, to foam, and λιθος, stone.]

A mineral, so named by Cronstedt from its intumescence before the blowpipe. Many substances have been confounded under this name, particularly such as are fusible by the blowpipe without addition, and exhibit a phosphoric brilliancy at the moment of fusion. Haüy makes two species of zeolite, which he calls mesotype and stilbite. Werner makes four subspecies, which he calls mealy zeolite, fibrous zeolite, radiated zeolite, and foliated zeolite. He makes zeolite a generic name, and Jameson, who adopts this theory, arranges in this family prehnite, zeolite, apophyllite, cubicite, called by Haüy analcime, chabasite, cross-stone, laumonite, dipyre, natrolite, and wavellite. – Cyc. Zeolite commonly occurs in a four-sided prism, terminated by a four-sided pyramid; often in small fibrous masses. – Cleaveland.

ZE-O-LIT'IC, a.

Pertaining to zeolite; consisting of zeolite, or resembling it.

ZE-O-LIT'I-FORM, a.

Having the form of zeolite.

ZEPH'YR, n. [L. zephyrus; Gr. ζεφυρος.]

The west wind; and poetically, any soft, mild, gentle breeze. The poets personify Zephyrus, and make him the most mild and gentle of all the sylvan deities. Cyc. Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes. – Milton.

ZER'DA, n.

An animal of the canine genus, found in the desert of Zaara, beyond mount Atlas. It is about ten inches in length, with a pointed nose, long whiskers, large black vivid eyes, and remarkably swift of foot. Its color is a yellowish pale brown. – Dict. Nat. Hist.

ZE'RO, n. [It.]

Cipher; nothing. The point of a thermometer from which it is graduated. Zero, in the thermometers of Celsius and Reaumur, is at the point at which water congeals. The zero of Fahrenheit's thermometer is fixed at the point at which the mercury stands when immersed in a mixture of snow and common salt. In Wedgewood's pyrometer, the zero corresponds with 1077° on Fahrenheit's scale.

ZEST, n. [Pers. زِسَتَنْ zistan, to peel. Class Sd.]

1. A piece of orange or lemon peel, used to give flavor to liquor; or the fine thin oil that spurts out of it when squeezed; also, the woody thick skin quartering the kernel of a walnut. – Cyc.
2. Relish; something that gives a pleasant taste; or the taste itself.

ZEST, v.t.

1. To give a relish or flavor to; to highten taste or relish.
2. To cut the peel of an orange or lemon from top to bottom into thin slips; or to squeeze the peel over the surface of any thing. – Cyc.

ZE'TA, n.

1. A Greek letter.
2. A little closet or chamber, with pipes running along the walls, to convey into it fresh air, or warm vapor from below. – Cyc.

ZE-TET'IC, a. [Gr. ζητεω, to seek.]

That seeks; that proceeds by inquiry. The zetetic method in mathematics, is that used in investigation, or the solution of problems. – Cyc.

ZE-TIC'U-LA, n.

A small withdrawing room.

ZEUG'MA, n. [Gr. ζευγμα, from ζευγνυω, to join. See Yoke.]

A figure in grammar by which an adjective or verb which agrees with a nearer word, is by way of supplement, referred to another more remote. Thus in Virgil, “Hic illius arma, hic currus fuit;” where fuit, which agrees directly with currus, is referred also to arma. – Cyc.

ZIB'ET, n. [See Civet.]

A digitigrade carnivorous mammal, the Viverra Zibetha. This is a small quadruped somewhat resembling a weasel. It inhabits both India and Africa. It is distinct from the civet, though nearly allied to it.

ZIG'ZAG, a.

Having short turns.

ZIG'ZAG, n.

Something that has short turns or angles.

ZIG'ZAG, v.t.

To form with short turns.

ZIG'ZAG-GED, pp.

Formed with short turns.

ZIG'ZAG-GING, ppr.

Forming with short turns.

ZIMENT-WATER, or COPPER-WATER, n. [Ziment water, or copper water.]

A name given to water found in copper mines; water impregnated with copper.

ZINK, n. [G. Sw. and Dan. zink. The common orthography, zinc, is erroneous.]

A metal of a brilliant white color, with a shade of blue, and appearing as if composed of plates adhering together. It is not brittle, but less malleable than copper, lead or tin. When heated however, it is malleable, and may be drawn into plates. – Cyc.

ZINK-IF'ER-OUS, a. [zink and L. fero.]

Producing zink; as, zinkiferous ore. – Journ. of Science.

ZINK'Y, a.

Pertaining to zink, or having its appearance. Some effervesce with acids, some not, though soluble therein, as to the zinky part. – Kirwan. The zinky ores are said to be grayer than other ores. – Kirwan.