From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishzonezone1 /zəʊn $ zoʊn/ ●●○ W3 noun [countable] 1 AREAa large area that is different from other areas around it in some way San Francisco and Tokyo are both located in earthquake zones. The government has set up a special economic zone to promote private enterprise.► see thesaurus at area2 → in the zone → buffer zone at buffer1(3), → no-fly zone, time zoneCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + zonea danger zoneCivilians were told to leave the danger zone.a war/battle/combat zonePlanes were diverted to avoid flying over the war zone.an earthquake zone (=where earthquakes are quite likely to happen)It’s not advisable to build nuclear reactors in an earthquake zone.a disaster zoneThe damage is so serious that the government has declared the city a disaster zone.an economic zone (=an area with special trade or tax conditions)The area has been made a special economic zone.an enterprise zone (=where businesses are encouraged)Small businesses predominated in the enterprise zone.a no-parking zoneYou can’t leave your car here – it’s a no-parking zone.a pedestrian zone (=where no vehicles are allowed)The main part of the city centre is a pedestrian zone.a 20 mph/30 mph etc zone (=where vehicles’ speed is limited to 20 mph, 30 mph etc)He was doing 42 mph in a 30 mph zone.a demilitarized zone (=where soldiers and military activities are not allowed)The demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait was created after the first Gulf war.a no-fly zone (=an area that aircraft are not allowed to fly in)the no-fly zone over Iraqa nuclear-free/smoke-free etc zone (=where nuclear weapons, smoking etc is not allowed)The county council offices are a smoke-free zone.verbsset up/establish/create a zoneThe government intends to set up an enterprise zone in the region.enter a zoneHe didn’t see the sign saying he’d entered a 20 mph zone.
Examples from the Corpus
zone• UN troops are unwilling to enter the battle zone.• All the people Fletcher surveyed have a buffer zone, usually somewhere between 3 and 5 pounds.• The government has set up a special economic zone in the south for private enterprises.• It was rubbing up and down as if he were titillating an unseen erogenous zone.• Half of the community lies in a flood zone.• However, because of the hysteresis, there is still an intermediate zone - one in which either behaviour may occur permanently.• A fine Highland rain, like the spray from a plant mister, was falling in the wrong meteorological zone.• Most of the town centre is now a pedestrian zone.• This is a residential zone -- no commercial buildings are allowed.• Subduction zones are also responsible for some of the Northwest's most dramatic natural features, including Mount Rainier.• This may shed light on Soviet views of such zones.• Maybe there would be just a simple name change, or the establishment of a free trade zone.• It looks like a war zone tip here, and perhaps it is.zonezone2 verb [transitive] American English if an area of land is zoned, it is officially kept to be used for a particular purposebe zoned for something The land is currently zoned for residential use.Grammar Zone is usually passive in this meaning. → zone out→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
zone• More than three-quarters of the province has now been zoned.• Abrams' land is currently zoned for residential use.• Rita Ranch was zoned industrial long before homes started sprouting there.• What? Oh, sorry - I was just zoning out there for a minute.From Longman Business Dictionaryzonezone1 /zəʊnzoʊn/ noun1[countable] a large area that is different from others around it in some wayThis is a no-parking zone.90% of non-smokers want smoke-free zones at work and in public places.2licence-free/passport-free etc zone a group of countries where you do not need a licence to import goods, you do not need special documents to travel etc3residential/industrial/commercial etc zonePROPERTY an area of a city that is used for a particular purpose or activity, such as houses or shopsThe trucks are limited by federal law to the commercial zone.The company’s five factories are situated in a new industrial zone outside the city. → development zone → duty-free zone → economic zone → enterprise zone → euro-zone → foreign trade zone → free zone → special economic zone → tax-free zone → time zonezonezone2 verb [transitive] American EnglishPROPERTY to divide a town or city into different areas for different purposesThe privately owned land is currently zoned for residential use (=for houses) . → see also downzoning —zoning adjectiveIn architecture you are dependent on clients, on craftsmen, and on zoning laws.→ See Verb tableOrigin zone1 (1400-1500) Latin zona “belt, zone”, from Greek zone 