noun
zippo
ZIH-poh
noun
1
Nothing at all; used for emphasis when someone might have expected something.
"We searched the whole house and found zippo."
2
A refillable metal cigarette lighter, from the well-known brand name.
"He flicked open his zippo to light the campfire kindling."
How to Use Zippo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "absolutely nothing" or, informally, any metal flip-top lighter.
When to use it
Very informal; avoid in formal writing.
Word Forms
zippoed past tense, Zippos plural, zippos singular
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Etymology
The "nothing" sense comes from zip plus -o; the lighter sense comes from the Zippo brand name, now often used generically.