noun / pronoun
zilch
ZILCH/zɪltʃ/
Nothing at all.
The open coin purse contains zilch, with nothing hidden inside.
Etymology
The comic name Zilch first supplied a word for an insignificant person: a “nobody” became “nothing.” The comic usage probably arose from a nonsense syllable suggesting zero and the alphabet’s end.
In context
I have nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zippo. Nothing smart. Nothing inspirational. Nothing even remotely researched at all.
More examples
- After paying the bills, I have zilch left.
- The repairs cost us zilch because the warranty covers everything.
- All that arguing accomplishes zilch.