Zaps

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To hit or strike swiftly with a sudden burst of energy
2. To eliminate or destroy something quickly with a decisive action
3. To energize or stimulate suddenly, often with an electric effect

Etymology: "Zaps" is the third-person singular present form of the verb "zap," which is itself a plain English coinage from the 1920s in American English. Its origin is onomatopoeic: the word imitates the quick, crackling sound of a sudden electrical discharge or a sharp blow, which is why it came to mean striking swiftly with a burst of energy. The verb grew out of that sound-based sense and gradually broadened. Once it was established, it moved easily into other uses, such as destroying something quickly or dispatching someone, and later into everyday speech about deleting files or changing channels with a remote control.

Synonyms: strikes, hits, stuns, shocks, jolts