Zags

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A series of sharp turns or angles made in a zigzag pattern; alternating movements from side to side as if tracing a rough path; actions characterized by sudden changes in direction or approach
2. Making rapid and irregular turns; following a trajectory that shifts from left to right unpredictably; exhibiting a style marked by abrupt changes in behavior or strategy
3. Navigating in a manner that resembles a pattern of sharp angles; moving in a jagged line with shifts in direction; demonstrating unpredictability in actions or decisions

Etymology: The two words are best understood as a matched set: "zig" and "zag" came into use as a playful, rhythmic pair, with the sound of each word mirroring the back-and-forth motion it describes. The plural "zags" follows the usual English pattern for nouns and for third-person verb forms, which is why it can name several sharp turns at once or describe someone who keeps changing direction, as in "the road makes countless zags." Its origin lies in the single word "zag" and its partner "zig," so the plural adds no new history of its own.

Synonyms: sharp turns, angles, zigzags

Antonyms: zips, straights, lines