- any continuous area that differs in some respect, or is distinguished for some purpose, from adjoining areas, or within which certain distinctive circumstances exist or are established: The decisions were formulated in a zone of uncertainty. The temperature lies outside the danger zone.
- any of five great divisions of the earth's surface, bounded by lines parallel to the equator and named according to the prevailing temperature.
- an area characterized by a particular set of organisms, whose presence is determined by environmental conditions, as an altitudinal belt on a mountain.
- a horizon.
- a part of the surface of a sphere included between two parallel planes.
- a specific district, area, etc., within which a uniform charge is made for transportation, mail delivery, or other service.
- the total number of available railroad terminals within a given circumference around a given shipping center.
- an area or district in a city or town under special restrictions as to the type, size, purpose, etc., of existing or proposed buildings.
- time zone.
- (in the U.S. postal system) any of the numbered districts into which a city or metropolitan area was formerly divided for expediting the sorting and delivery of mail.
- a particular portion of a playing area: The wing was trapped with the puck in his own defensive zone.
- a state of intense concentration and focus that greatly improves a person's performance in a physical or mental activity, especially in sports: He has a great golf swing, but he needs to be in the zone.
- a girdle or belt; cincture.
- to mark with zones or bands.
- to divide into zones, tracts, areas, etc., as according to existing characteristics or as distinguished for some purpose.
- to divide (a city, town, neighborhood, etc.) into areas subject to special restrictions on any existing or proposed buildings.
- to encircle or surround with a zone, girdle, belt, or the like.
- to be formed into zones.
- to become inattentive or dazed: I must have zoned out toward the end of the lecture.
- a region, area, or section characterized by some distinctive feature or quality
- a sphere of thought, disagreement, argument, etc
- an area subject to a particular political, military, or government function, use, or jurisdiction
- one of the divisions of the earth's surface, esp divided into latitudinal belts according to temperature
- a distinctive layer or region of rock, characterized by particular fossils (zone fossils), metamorphism, structural deformity, etc
- an area, esp a belt of land, having a particular flora and fauna determined by the prevailing environmental conditions
- a portion of a sphere between two parallel planes intersecting the sphere
- sport
- a mental state that enables a competitor to perform to the best of his or her ability
- of or relating to competitive performance that depends on the mood or state of mind of the participant
- a girdle or belt
- a section on a transport route; fare stage
- a catchment area for pupils for a specific school
- in the zone See zone (def. 8)
- to divide into zones, as for different use, jurisdiction, activities, etc
- to designate as a zone
- to mark with or divide into zones
- to establish (an area) as a zone for a specific school