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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

James has changed teams three times before, but the circumstances are far different than when he was a superstar in his prime reshaping the league by switching his zip code.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

England need some zip and an injection of pace.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

The new rich zip past crumbling neoclassical townhouses on Havana's famous seaside Malecon boulevard in SUVs.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 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

I shake my head but scramble inside and zip the tent shut.

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

“For comparison purposes, consider the old toll booth approach at the tollway or turnpike 30 years ago versus the Zip Cash or Toll Tag systems we see today,” Fleming says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025

Zip World has eight sites across Wales and England, including the world's fastest zip line - Velocity - at Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda.

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

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

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

Drawstrings along the shorts allow for adjustable length, a high turtleneck can be zipped up or pulled down for breathability, and reflective elements make the piece visible at night.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 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

Back when the Concorde zipped back and forth across the Atlantic, from 1976 to 2003, commercial supersonic travel was a daily reality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 19, 2025

She dressed the girl in the jacket, one arm at a time, and zipped it up.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

HONOLULU—My roommates woke up, one by one, at sunrise last week, zipping open their suitcases and sleepily walking to the bathroom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 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

When he waved away the dreaming spires where the students all stay, young Ted Geisel went zipping away.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026

I leaned my head back and watched Ohio go zipping by.

From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Related Words

• oomph
• pep
• sparkle
• verve
• vigor