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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

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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

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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

The chat box messages zip by with lightning speed.

From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026

Elsewhere on Saturday, French luxury house Hermes presented its women's collection in the courtyard of the elite Republican Guard police unit in Paris, making the zip its leitmotif and the ultra-fine strap an accessory.

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

Another passenger, Zvika Meness, told Israeli public broadcaster Kan he helped overpower the attacker, and the passenger and two others "tied him up with his own zip ties and with the multimedia headphones".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Atop a low credenza, he displayed a black, leather suitcase that housed inside of it an old laptop attached to an external zip drive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

“We won’t be able to unfreeze everyone, but I’ve got a few names in mind. A.M. and P.M., you’re fast, can you two help zip me and TimeStar around the county?”

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Ruth had recently bought the trademark rights to the digital storage systems iOmega, Zip and Jaz.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

In one report, Realtor.com found that in the 43 Zip codes where large data centers went up between 2019 and 2025, home prices went up at a “nearly identical rate” as in areas without them.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

“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

The next day was 1 Zip, the following day was 2 Zip, and so forth, until they reached 19 Zip.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Samira says she managed to get Sevda to hospital and she was told they were operating on her, but then the door opened and she saw Sevda had been zipped into a body bag.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

But we keep them all the same, zipped tight in that storage bag just in case they get any ideas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

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

She zipped to The WSJ Money Interview in a Cadillac Escalade outfitted with an engine that roars like a race car and retails for around $180,000.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026

She zipped us off the main road and down a few steep side streets.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Eager cruise passengers zipping around New York's southern shores rush to the starboard bow: a humpback whale is up for air, a breathtaking sighting set against Manhattan's iconic skyline.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

"I started thinking about what it would be like for us to go for a walk as a family if there were dozens of robots with lights and cameras zipping around."

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

The high-speed train zipping from Shanghai to Beijing puts to shame the Amtrak Acela running half as fast between New York and Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

I got my bearings zipping around the rink for a while, picking up speed, cutting left and right, short hops, pivots.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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