1An area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose, or use, or subject to particular restrictions.

1. 1.1Geography A well-defined region extending round the earth between definite limits, especially between two parallels of latitude.
   ‘a zone of easterly winds’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Summers in this climatic zone are warm, rainy and uncomfortably humid.’
   • ‘The Atlantic zone receives trade winds and has high rainfall year-round.’
   • ‘This diagram is the same as the one above except that the major pressure and wind zones have been replaced by a typical isobaric weather map.’
   • ‘Located in the temperate monsoon zone, Japan is also strongly influenced by seasonal weather patterns.’
   • ‘The eastern Himalayan region is a high-rainfall zone that yields excessive water in basins during the monsoon.’
2. 1.2A range of longitudes where a common standard time is used.
   ‘Mars will be closest to Earth in 2005 on October 29 or 30, depending on your time zone.’
   More example sentences

   • ‘I'm not sure when the time zone changes, so I'll have to figure that out.’
   • ‘‘If we can't run two offices in different locations in the same time zone then we have big problems,’ he said.’
   • ‘Fortunately, whether your child is starting school in a new time zone or just down the street, you can help smooth the way.’
   • ‘As I turn back towards home, my mobile phone beeps into life. A new year greeting sent from a different time zone, halfway across the world.’
   • ‘Go and look at a map - Portugal is actually, if anything, below and to the left of most of Britain, so it makes complete sense that they are in the same time zone.’
   • ‘If you take melatonin too early in the day, you may become sleepy before bedtime and it may take you longer to adapt to your new time zone.’
   • ‘If you're serious and plan quite a few early mornings, adjust your sleep schedule the same way you adjust to a new time zone.’
   • ‘Every eight hours, the results of the day's work are forwarded to the team in the next time zone, from Japan to Germany to the USA and back to Japan.’
   • ‘The fact that this World Cup is basically being played in our time zone means most soccer fans are able to see a lot more of this event and understand how big it is.’
   • ‘For instance, if you travel to Dallas, the watch will pick up signals from the Dallas radio station and reset itself for the appropriate time zone.’
   • ‘Also, those of us with satellite dishes can watch a different time zone.’
   • ‘The staging of the World Cup in a different time zone had an adverse effect on newspaper sales, with Sunday papers hit hardest of all.’
   • ‘It's hard to live with someone in a different time zone, so I converted for the sake of the relationship.’
   • ‘As for jet lag, if you have the luxury, one treatment is to slowly change your awake and sleep times to fit the new time zone.’
   • ‘Smith said the time zone would be attractive to broadcasters, who could schedule games in different timeslots.’
   • ‘With the last race having been in Malaysia, and the next in Australia, there's plenty to be said for staying out and getting used to the time zone.’
   • ‘The comet was struck on July forth for the Eastern and Central time zones, but it hit on the third for us in the Rockies and the Western time zone.’
   • ‘It was after seven, but Vancouver was in the same time zone, so I called Frank at home.’
   • ‘We're four miles inside of the central time zone here, in south central Tennessee just north of the Georgia, Alabama border.’
3. 1.3the zoneinformal (especially in sport) a state of such concentration that one is able to perform at the peak of one's physical or mental capabilities.
   More example sentences

   • ‘I was in the zone, completing the first nine holes in one under par’

2Botany Zoology
An encircling band or stripe of distinctive colour, texture, or character.

3archaic A belt or girdle worn round a person's body.

1Divide into or assign to zones.

1. 1.1Divide (a town or piece of land) into areas subject to particular restrictions on development and use.
   ‘Houston, he told us, was the only town in the country that was zoned properly’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Cllr Flynn says while Westport Town Councillors won't be zoning this particular piece of land they will be making their opinions felt.’
   • ‘The list included concerns voiced by the town planners and architects on land use zoning and floor area ratio.’
   • ‘Check local regulations and zoning restrictions because some areas may have legally established separation distances.’
   • ‘First, consider the principle that time, place, and manner restrictions such as zoning generally do not violate the First Amendment.’
   • ‘All the indications are that Cherrywood will receive the town centre zoning.’
   • ‘The 140 acres proposed for zoning also includes land adjacent to the Tullamore Road and Brittas Avenue.’
   • ‘The move was made to restrict zoning, said Stevens, in order to avoid having a retail store set up where it was unwanted.’
   • ‘Clint Eastwood ran for mayor on a platform that promised to prune back the plethora of local rules, regulations, building restrictions and zoning laws.’
   • ‘Ms McEvoy said zoning in small villages and towns was essential to ensure controlled, structured and sustainable development.’
   • ‘There are no regulations, zoning restrictions, fences or white lines to tell you where to go.’
   • ‘For new construction, this can be of vital importance, particularly where zoning restricts building height.’
   • ‘Pay particular attention to zoning in each of the alternatives proposed for your area.’
   • ‘However, it was explained at last week's meeting that this figure was arrived at due to current zoning regulations.’
   • ‘The company will even lobby local government to change zoning regulations in order to get the location they want.’
   • ‘Prescott says he is listening, and, because the urban plan covers zoning bylaws, input can make a difference.’
   • ‘I'm sure any zoning plan will be a small sacrifice for the recreational angler to make for the future sustainability of our fish stocks.’
   • ‘He said a further application would require a material contravention to give zoning authority and added he was surprised by the refusal.’
   • ‘Stiff zoning laws, even when they're well-intended, result in unintended consequences.’
   • ‘Clearly, communities will need to move decisively to change zoning laws and building codes, in order to avoid a repeat of what we have seen.’
   • ‘The local zoning authorities for a long time just outright banned big box stores, stores of over something like 10,000 square feet.’
2. 1.2Designate (a specific area) for use or development as a particular zone in planning.
   ‘the land is zoned for housing’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The canal area is zoned for new homes and restaurants, and some redundant cotton mills are being converted into flats.’
   • ‘The Railway Square site is zoned for general business under the 2002 Waterford City Development Plan.’
   • ‘But much of the land is former industrial space that couldn't be recycled for new uses without government approval because it is still zoned for manufacturing.’
   • ‘The new centre would be zoned for mixed use to allow residential, retail, educational and community facilities such as a health centre, hotel, restaurants, bars and a post office.’
   • ‘Of course, that designation would be vulnerable to manipulation (the airport is currently zoned as parkland, though it is of course not being used as such).’
   • ‘The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority claims the cowboys were illegally using the former warehouse as a stable, a use it wasn't zoned for.’
   • ‘The remaining 12 acres are zoned for agriculture.’
   • ‘Only the 1,000 square feet now operating is zoned for that use.’
   • ‘The owners have now had a change of mind and efforts are being made to lease the 8,000 sq. ft property, which is zoned for retail use.’
   • ‘The premises and grounds are zoned for industrial use.’
   • ‘The property is zoned for residential and part commercial use and is located beside The Elms and Braganza housing estates in Carlow town.’
   • ‘Since the building is now zoned for residential use, the house can be occupied by only three unrelated people at a time.’
   • ‘Local authorities could then zone it and then sell it on.’
   • ‘If it zones something for a particular use and nobody wants it, then nothing happens.’
   • ‘Listowel town manager Michael McMahon asked councillors to consider zoning a portion of land for the use of discount retailers.’
   • ‘The council has been called on to increase its commercial rates income by zoning land just outside of the city boundary for commercial development.’
   • ‘The owners were hard done by following the council decision to zone the land as green area.’
   • ‘There is land zoned for industry, so the sooner the County Council purchases this land the better.’
   • ‘The purpose of the proposed variation is to zone lands in Tullow and its environs to use for residential, institutional and industrial uses.’
   • ‘The land was zoned at that time for agricultural purposes.’

2archaic Encircle as or with a band or stripe.