Past tense of zone; divided into specific areas for particular purposes or uses. In slang, being in an altered or focused mental state.
From Greek 'zone' meaning belt or girdle, through Latin 'zona'. The urban planning sense developed in the early 20th century as cities grew and needed organized development. The slang meaning emerged in the 1960s drug culture.
Urban zoning revolutionized city planning by separating incompatible land uses - imagine living next to a steel factory without zoning laws! The slang 'zoned out' captures that feeling of mental compartmentalization, as if your consciousness has its own zoning restrictions.
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