zigzag
英 ['zɪɡzæɡ] 美 ['zɪɡzæɡ]
n.曲折；之字形 adj.曲折的；锯齿形的 adv.曲折地；成锯齿形地 vt.使曲折 vi.曲折前行
◉Etymology
“Zigzag”起源于18世纪的英语，融合了法语“zigzag”和德语“zickzack”，两者皆为拟声词，模仿物体快速交错移动的声音或形状。“Zig”和“zag”本身并无独立含义，但组合后模拟了尖锐的转折感，可能受到日耳曼语系中类似“zacken”（尖角）的启发。这个词最初用于描述军事工事中的曲折壕沟（如之字形防御线），后扩展到日常语言，涵盖路径、图案乃至抽象行为。它的重复音节赋予了节奏感，令人印象深刻。
◉外刊例句
① 《National Geographic》 (2023年6月14日)
The antelope zigzagged across the savanna, evading the cheetah’s pursuit.
羚羊在草原上曲折奔跑，躲避猎豹的追捕。
② 《The Wall Street Journal》 (2024年10月5日)
Stock prices took a zigzag course this quarter, reflecting market uncertainty.
本季度股价走势呈之字形，反映了市场的不确定性。
◉经典名著
① 《鲁滨逊漂流记》（Robinson Crusoe）——丹尼尔·笛福 (1719年)
I took a zigzag path through the woods to avoid being seen.
我沿着之字形路径穿过树林，以免被人发现。
② 《爱丽丝漫游奇境记》（Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland）——刘易斯·卡罗尔 (1865年)
The rabbit zigzagged down the hill, vanishing into a burrow.
兔子曲折地跑下山坡，消失在一个洞里。
◉Usage Examples
(1) The same effect causes student drivers to zigzag down the road, as each late large correction of the steering wheel overreacts to the last late overcorrection.
(1) 这就跟新手开车总是开出之字形道理一样，因为每次转动方向盘，总是会矫枉过正，超过上次校正所偏离的部分。
◉Usage Notes
The word zigzag describes the shape of a line. A line drawn in a zigzag shape makes a lot of short, sharp turns. The letter Z is a zigzag itself, and a thunderbolt is also often represented as a zigzag.
The first turn a zigzag line makes is called a zig, and the second is called the zag. Zigzag can also be a verb. If you're describing how you got lost in the desert, you might say, "I meant to go straight, but then I zigged, and then I zagged." Serpentine describes a line that curves, but the curves are rounded (like a serpent), not short and sharp like a zigzag.
◉Colins
1. [N-COUNT 可数名词]之字形；锯齿形线条 A zigzag is a line which has a series of angles in it like a continuous series of 'W's.
They staggered in a zigzag across the tarmac.
他们深一脚浅一脚，跌跌撞撞地穿过停机坪。
...a zigzag pattern.
锯齿形状
2. [VERB 动词]曲折前进；之字形行进 If you zigzag, you move forward by going at an angle first to one side then to the other. [V prep] [V way prep] [Also V]
I zigzagged down a labyrinth of alleys...
我在迷宫般的小巷中穿行。
Expertly he zigzagged his way across the field, avoiding the deeper gullies.
他熟练地左一拐右一拐地绕过深沟，穿过了原野。
