humming, zing, vivacious, an unsmiling

Financial Times

Where have all the zongs gone?

(Picture by EPA)

Being a boss in China is not what it used to be — literally

The Shanghai company where ‘zong’ is no longer king

ON.FT.COM

“The Habit of Loving,” in which a lonely older man who takes a vivacious, young wife witnesses an unexpected reversal of intimacy.
waters

Hot oil on troubled waters

2,000 years of animosity UNTIL this month relations between Vietnam and China seemed only to be improving. Business deals were being done and trade was humming. The...

The Economist

 

The Caucus

Obama Zings Trump at Correspondents’ Dinner

By HELENE COOPER 12:44 AM ET

As an unsmiling Donald Trump sat, a guest of The Washington Post, Mr. Obama ripped one punch after another at him.

vivacious

vɪˈveɪʃəs,vʌɪ-/

adjective

1. (especially of a woman) attractively lively and animated.

   "her vivacious and elegant mother"

hum1

Line breaks: hum

Pronunciation: /hʌm/

verb (hums, humming, hummed)

[no object]

• 1Make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee: the computers hummed
  

  
  
• 1.1Sing with closed lips: he hummed softly to himself [with object]: she was humming a cheerful tune
  

  
  
• 1.2(Of a place) be filled with a low, steady continuous sound: the room hummed with an expectant murmur
  

  
  

• 2 • informal Be in a state of great activity: the house was humming with preparations for the dance
  

  
  

• 3 British • informal Smell unpleasant: when the wind drops this stuff really hums
  

  
  

noun

[in singular] Back to top  

• 1A low, steady continuous sound: the hum of insects a low hum of conversation
  

  
  
• 1.1An unwanted low-frequency noise in an amplifier caused by variation of electric current, especially the alternating frequency of the mains.
  

  
  

Phrases

hum and haw (or chiefly North American hem and haw)

British Be indecisive: I was humming and hawing over buying copies

More example sentencesSynonyms

Derivatives

hummable
adjective

hummer

noun

Origin

late Middle English: imitative.

zing

(zĭng)
n.
A brief high-pitched humming or buzzing sound, such as that made by a swiftly passing object or a taut vibrating string.


v., zinged, zing·ing, zings.

v.intr.

1. To make a zing.
2. To move swiftly with or as if with a zing: an arrow zinging toward its target.
3. Informal. To be vivacious or lively: a conversation zinging along.

v.tr. Informal

1. To attack verbally; criticize sharply: zing an opponent in a debate.
2. To strike suddenly.

[Imitative.]

Zong

Similar to a 'zing' but a zong attacks the person a little more mentally, usually strikes down their self esteem a peg or two.

Woman: "I dont sleep with everone I meet, I am far from a whore" 
Man 1: "Please its like throwing a pencil down a mineshaft with you." 
Man 2: "Zong"