What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sing vs Zing - What's the difference?

sing | zing |

As verbs the difference between sing and zing

is that sing is to produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice while zing is to move very quickly, especially while making a high-pitched hum.

As nouns the difference between sing and zing

is that sing is a gathering for the purpose of singing songs while zing is a short high-pitched humming sound, eg that made by a bullet or vibrating string.

As an interjection zing is

a high pitched humming sound.

sing

English

Verb

  • To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
  • "I really want to sing in the school choir." said Vera .
  • To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
  • * {{quote-book, 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, chapter=The Tutor's Daughter, Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page=266 citation
  • , passage=In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.}}
  • To soothe with singing.
  • to sing somebody to sleep
  • (slang) To confess under interrogation.
  • To make a small, shrill sound.
  • The air sings in passing through a crevice.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.
  • To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.
  • * Prior
  • Bid her sing / Of human hope by cross event destroyed.
    (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * besing * sing along / sing-along * singer * sing from the same hymnbook * singing cowboy * sing out * singsong * sing soprano * sing the praises

    See also

    * singe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gathering for the purpose of singing songs.
  • * 2002 , Martha Mizell Puckett, ?Hoyle B. Puckett, Memories of a Georgia Teacher: Fifty Years in the Classroom (page 198)
  • Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.

    zing

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A short high-pitched humming sound, eg that made by a bullet or vibrating string.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , date = 1998-03-15 , author = Edward E. Leslie , title = Desperate Journeys, Abandoned Souls , publisher = Mariner Books , isbn = 9780395911501 , ol = 7468582M , page = 387 , pageurl = http://books.google.com/books?id=X0_S5AtHuY0C&pg=PA387&dq=zing , passage = I heard a zing close to my head and looked up again. Five or six men were lined up on the deck above me with rifles shooting at the shark. }}
  • Zest or vitality.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , date = 2006-05-25 , author = Melinda Houston , newspaper = , title = European Bier Cafe - Bar Reviews , url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/bar-reviews/european-bier-cafe/2006/05/25/1148519757307.html , passage = To accompany a meal, the fresh Italian lager Poretti is perfect; Erdinger Weisbier, a wheat beer from Germany, is full of zing ; }}

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move very quickly, especially while making a high-pitched hum.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year = 2000 , author = Nick Nelson , title = The Golden Vortex , publisher = Conscious Publishing , isbn = 9781929096015 , ol = 8949607W , page = 89 , pageurl = http://books.google.com/books?id=xAOfLVoyCLIC&pg=PA89&dq=zinging , passage = We are all a second or two older than an astronaut who has been zinging around the Earth at 18000 miles per hour, because of his or her greater speed and the lack of gravity. }}

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (onomatopoeia) A high pitched humming sound.
  • * {{quote-song
  • , year = 1934 , composer = , title = , passage = Something inside of me started a symphony / Zing ! Went the strings of my heart }}
  • (US, slang) Used to acknowledge a witty comeback, a zinger .
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year = 2002 , author = Chellie Campbell , title = The Wealthy Spirit , publisher = Sourcebooks , isbn = 9781570717772 , ol = 8698152M , page = 162 , pageurl = http://google.com/books?id=mU-DgUcd-5AC&pg=PA162&dq=zing , passage = Zing! The joke had rebounded back on the one who started it. "Ouch!" Mama Jane winced ruefully. We all dissolved in laughter at the good-natured repartee. }} ----