informal 1 [+ obj] a : to attack, destroy, or kill (someone or something) quickly
▪ The flowers were zapped by the cold weather. — often used figuratively ▪ The loss on Monday zapped [=killed] any chance the team had to go on to the finals. ▪ He was zapped [=hit] with a finance charge because of a single late payment.
b : to hit (someone or something) with electricity
▪ Lightning zapped [=struck] the tree. = The tree was zapped by lightning. ▪ She won't work with the wiring because she's afraid of getting zapped. [=shocked, electrocuted]
c : to shoot (someone or something) with an electric gun, laser, etc.
▪ The aliens in the movie zapped people from spaceships. ▪ The doctor zapped [=removed] a mole on the patient's back with a laser. 2 [+ obj] informal : to heat or cook (something) in a microwave oven
▪ She reheated her muffin by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds. 3 : to change what you are watching on television by using an electronic device (called a remote control) [no obj] ▪ I zapped through the channels for a while before falling asleep. ▪ We tape the show so we can zap through the commercials. [+ obj] ▪ We tape the show so we can zap [=skip] the commercials. 4 a [no obj] : to move quickly or suddenly
▪ Pain zapped through his ankle.
b [+ obj] : to send (something or someone) quickly from one place to another through electronic means
▪ He can zap the file to the office from his laptop. ▪ The images can be zapped into our homes from anywhere via satellite. ▪ In the movie the hero is zapped into the past in a time machine.