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• zip
  zip

  noun

  a sudden, brief hissing sound, as of a bullet.
• Zip
  Zip

  a floppy disk form of storage for computer data with a capacity of 100–750 MB, used primarily in the 1990s.

zip

¹ American  

[zip] / zɪp /

noun

1. a sudden, brief hissing sound, as of a bullet.

2. Informal. energy; vim; vigor.

   Wow, you've got zip today—too much coffee this morning?

   Synonyms:

   vitality, vivacity, verve, dash, pep

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verb (used without object)

zipped, zipping

1. to move with a zipping sound.

2. Informal. to act or move with speed or energy.

   I'll just zip upstairs.

verb (used with object)

Informal.

zipped, zipping

1. to convey with speed and energy.

   I'll zip you downtown on my motorcycle.

2. to add vitality or zest to (usually followed byup ).

   A little garlic zips up a salad.

zip ² American  

[zip] / zɪp /

verb (used with object)

zipped, zipping

1. to fasten or unfasten with a zipper: Zip open the traveling case.

   Zip your jacket.

   Zip open the traveling case.

2. to enclose or free by doing up or undoing a zipper.

   Zip this money into your wallet. Zip me out of my dress.

3. Computers. to compress (a file) in archive format, so it requires less memory to save and store it.

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verb (used without object)

zipped, zipping

1. to become fastened or unfastened by means of a zipper.

   a handy purse that zips shut.

2. to do up or undo a zipper.

noun

1. zipper.

adjective

1. utilizing or having a zipper.

   a coat with a zip front.

2. Computers. of or relating to a method of file compression.

   a zip file.

zip ³ American  

[zip] / zɪp /

noun

1. zero or nothing.

   The score of last night's hockey game was 4–zip.

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verb (used with object)

zipped, zipping

1. (in sports) to defeat by keeping an opponent from scoring.

   The home team was zipped again yesterday.

zip ⁴ American  

[zip] / zɪp /

noun

1. zip code.

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Zip ⁵ American  

[zip] / zɪp /

Trademark.

1. a floppy disk form of storage for computer data with a capacity of 100–750 MB, used primarily in the 1990s.

   a Zip drive;

   a Zip disk.

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zip ¹ British  

/ zɪp /

noun

1. 1. Also called: zip fastener.  US and Canadian term: zipper.  a fastening device operating by means of two parallel rows of metal or plastic teeth on either side of a closure that are interlocked by a sliding tab

   2. (modifier) having or equipped with such a device

      a zip bag

2. a short sharp whizzing sound, as of a passing bullet

3. informal energy; vigour; vitality

4. slang nothing

5. slang sport nil

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verb

1. to fasten (clothing, a bag, etc) with a zip

2. (intr) to move with a zip

   the bullet zipped past

3. (intr; often foll by along, through, etc) to hurry; rush

   they zipped through town

4. (tr) computing to compress (a file) in order to reduce the amount of memory required to store it or to make sending it electronically quicker

Zip ² British  

/ zɪp /

noun

1. an electric water heater

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Other Word Forms

• zipless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of zip¹

First recorded in 1850–55; imitative of the sound

Origin of zip²

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; back formation from zipper

Origin of zip³

First recorded in 1895–1900; apparently an expressive word, with z- of zero; cf. zilch

Origin of zip⁴

By ellipsis

Explanation

To zip is to close with a zipper. Also, zip means zilch, which is zero or nothing. Make sure to zip your wallet because if everything falls out, you’ll have zip. Zip as in “to close with a zipper” is short for — you guessed it — zipper. If you're cold, zip up your coat. If you zip your lips, you’re not using a zipper but you’re closing your mouth. Zip meaning “nothing” came from kids in the 1900s when they referred to getting a zero on a test. Now, if you have zip, you have nothing, and not just on a test.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zip Zip zipped zipping

More times than not, I have to sit on my carry-on to zip it shut.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Ben Earl and Freeman were both close to claiming clever kicks ahead with the tryline close at hand, with Jack van Poortvliet bringing some of the zip that was sorely absent in Johannesburg.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

An icon for the Italian way of life, the Vespa is celebrating its 80th birthday with thousands of drivers expected to zip around Rome in the legendary scooters on Saturday.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

Even after his release, his combat-gear-clad image, zip ties in hand, became a visual he couldn’t outrun.

From Slate ● May 28, 2026

“But,” Dad countered, “that was because you got caught in a contraflow when the new lane was being built. You'll zip along the M4 today. Clean as a whistle. Guarantee it.”

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Mr. duPont is a co-founder of Chartline Capital and Zip Code Wilmington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Zip it: Banter and brief chats are fine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

These seem to be "Zip files" that usually contain many compressed pieces of information.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026

Zip through suburbs, working-class communities, rolling hills and all sorts of Spanish-named streets until reuniting with the 5 in San Ysidro.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

Recently, the last three numbers of the post office’s new Zip Code for a postal district of Harlem hit, and one banker almost went broke.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Hershey Pa.’s Christian Pulisic set up a sequence that led to a Paraguay own goal, and then, not long after, zipped a centering pass to the 24-year-old Balogun to make it 2-0.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

With the would-be tying run standing on first base and one out, Scott crashed hard on Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice bunt and zipped a throw across the diamond just in time for the out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

First, there was the child who zipped his entire face inside the hood of his green sweatshirt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026

Then he zipped up the bag, slammed the car door shut, and walked out of the lot, onto the sidewalk, and off down the street.

From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2026

I threw my lunch bag into my backpack, zipped it up, and slipped on my sneakers.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

It makes the standing areas feel intimate - more like a club show than a stadium concert - with Styles zipping around the borders, blowing kisses and posing for cameras throughout the night.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Engineers at SpaceX have acknowledged difficulties developing the rocket, which they hope in the future to operate more like a plane zipping in and out of airports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

It’s a lively university town with breweries everywhere, bikes zipping past on nearly every street, and the kind of easy smiles and hellos that make Midwest nice feel real.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

Black-clad men are seen stationed near roundabouts, zipping through deserted streets on scooters or inspecting buildings reduced to rubble.

From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026

Maman said that we are made of stardust, of the Goddess of Beauty herself, and to envision the arcana like a comet zipping through us.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• oomph
• pep
• sparkle
• verve
• vigor