Meaning & use
zipwire
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableBritish
A cable fixed high above the ground that you slide along while hanging from a harness or handle.
Grammar: Countable: 'a zipwire', 'two zipwires'. Takes 'on': 'on a zipwire'.
Patterns
- on a zipwire
- ride a zipwire
- a zipwire ride
The children took turns on the zipwire in the park.
We crossed the river on a zipwire, which was terrifying but fun.
The adventure center has the longest zipwire in the region.
Word forms
| plural | zipwires |
|---|
Common combinations
- ride a zipwire
- Tourists can ride a zipwire over the valley.
- on a zipwire
- He flew across the gorge on a zipwire.
- zipwire ride
- The zipwire ride lasts about a minute.
- zipwire course
- The forest park has a zipwire course for beginners.
- longest zipwire
- They claim it's the longest zipwire in the country.
Synonyms and how they differ
- zipline
- The usual American word for the same thing; British speakers say 'zipwire'.
- flying fox
- Used in some regions for the same kind of cable ride.
Commonly confused: zipwire or zip line?
zipwire vs zip line
Same meaning; 'zipline' is the American spelling, usually written as one word.
Practice
We spent the afternoon flying across the lake on a ___.
Choose one answer.
'Zipwire' is the cable you slide along in the air. 'Zip code' is a postal number, a 'zip file' is compressed computer data, and a 'zip fastener' is what closes a jacket or bag.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “zipwire”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.