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zoom - 4 dictionary results

zoom

[zoom] ,
–verb (used without object)
1. to move quickly or suddenly with a loud humming or buzzing sound: cars zooming by on the freeway.
2. to fly an airplane suddenly and sharply upward at great speed for a short distance, as in regaining altitude, clearing an obstacle, or signaling.
3. Movies, Television. to bring a subject, scene, etc., into closeup or cause it to recede into a long shot using a zoom lens and while maintaining focus.
4. Informal. to increase or rise suddenly and sharply: Rents would zoom without rent control laws.
–verb (used with object)
5. to cause (an airplane) to zoom.
6. to fly over (an obstacle) by zooming.
–noun
7. the act or process of zooming.
8. a zooming sound.
9. Informal. zoom lens.
10. Also called zoom shot. Movies, Television. a shot in which a subject, scene, or action is brought closer or made to recede by the use of a zoom lens.
11. zoom in (on),
a. to bring (a subject, scene, etc.) into closeup by using a zoom lens: to zoom in for a look at the injured man; to zoom in on a candidate at a political convention.
b. to examine more closely or in greater detail; focus on: The panel zoomed in on the subject of abortion.

Origin:
1885–90; imit.


1. buzz, speed, streak, flash.
zoom   (zōōm)   
v.   zoomed, zoom·ing, zooms

v.   intr.
    1. To make a continuous low-pitched buzzing or humming sound.
    2. To move while making such a sound.
  1. To climb suddenly and sharply. Used of an airplane.
  2. To move about rapidly; swoop.
  3. To simulate movement rapidly away from or toward a subject using a zoom lens.
  4. Computer Science To cause text or other graphics in a window or frame to appear larger on the screen.
v.   tr.
To cause to zoom.
n.  
  1. The act or sound of zooming.
  2. A zoom lens.

[Imitative.]

zoom 
1886, of echoic origin. Gained popularity c.1917 as aviators began to use it; zoom lens is 1936.
Language Translation for : zoom
Spanish: zumbido,
German: das Surren, das Brummen,
Japanese: ブーンという音

zoom graphics
To show a smaller area of an image at a higher magnification ("zoom in") or a larger area at a lower magnification ("zoom out"), as though using a zoom lense on a camera.
Unlike in an optical system, zooming in on a computer image does not necessarily increase the amount of detail displayed since this is limited by what is actually stored in the image. Similarly, you cannot zoom out beyond the full size of the image.
(1997-10-24)

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