zip

¹

[zip]

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

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

[zip]

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.

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

[zip]

noun

1. zero or nothing.

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

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

[zip]

noun

1. zip code.

Zip

⁵

[zip]

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.

zip

¹

/ 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

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

/ zɪp /

noun

1. an electric water heater

Other Word Forms

• zipless adjective

Word History and Origins

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; zilch

Origin of zip⁴

By ellipsis

Word History and Origins

Origin of zip¹

C19: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Perhaps the series will eventually return to 'normal' Test cricket as the series develops, but the smart money is on the Ashes zipping by in a flash.

Read more on BBC

Foot traffic was light but steady on a recent weekday morning, with a mix of students and office workers zipping in and back out a few minutes later.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I’ll grieve it,” he says, setting the instrument down and zipping it back up into its case.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In Mr. Serrano’s telling, the shot resembled a “meteor falling from space” before it zipped through the basket as the Philadelphia 76ers star “casually walked away from the play.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Soon, even that pathetic excursion requires more zip than you can muster.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• oomph 
• pep 
• sparkle 
• verve 
• vigor