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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

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

During that call, Calocane spoke about a zip file of documents he had send to their parents about his delusions around being monitored.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

After that night, we learned to let Sammy keep his own bag and to zip the other two together for the rest of us.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Zip it: Banter and brief chats are fine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Block’s company Afterpay, Sezzle and Zip also received the letter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025

Welsh adventure company Zip World has been sold in a deal that values the business at more than £100m.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2025

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

But Leah put her finger to her lips and said, "Shhh. Everybody be quiet so you can hear what I learned to do. Zip your lips."

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

Ohtani zipped it in at knee level, and Carroll drilled it into the ground, right to second baseman Alex Freeland.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 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

I zipped past shipbuilding facilities and refineries, before cruising by grand historic homes watching over the Mississippi Sound.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 7, 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

The crowd surrounding us filled the cavern, and more zipped around on rails above our heads.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

Chargers rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson said he doesn’t love zipping around.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

The awesome technological advances of world-leading American engineers at Anthropic, OpenAI and elsewhere, could be zipping the country further ahead of China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

One said its e-scooters were "a great way for adults to get around the city, zipping between traffic at speeds of up to 15mph".

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 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

John asked, zipping the bags back up and pulling down the trunk.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• oomph
• pep
• sparkle
• verve
• vigor