ZIP


Meaning of ZIP in English

I. zip 1 /zɪp/ BrE AmE noun

[ Sense 1,2: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: From the sound of something moving very quickly. ]

[ Sense 3: Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: zip code ]

1 . [countable] British English two lines of small metal or plastic pieces that slide together to fasten a piece of clothing SYN zipper American English :

The zip on my skirt had broken.

do up/undo a zip

Your zip’s undone at the back.

2 . [uncountable] informal speed, energy, or excitement:

This car goes with a bit more zip than my last one.

A spoonful of mustard will give the dish some zip.

3 . [singular] American English informal nothing at all or zero:

We beat them 10 to zip.

‘How much money do you have left?’ ‘Zip!’

II. zip 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle zipped , present participle zipping )

1 . [transitive] to fasten something using a zip:

‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ said John, zipping his jacket.

zip something shut/open

Olsen zipped the bag shut.

He zipped open the case (=unfastened it) .

zip something together

The two sleeping bags can be zipped together to make a double.

2 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] informal to go somewhere or do something very quickly SYN whizz , zoom

zip through/past/along etc

We zipped through customs in no time.

3 . zip it/zip your lip American English spoken informal used to tell someone not to say anything about something, or to tell them to be quiet:

You’d better zip your lip or you’ll be in trouble!

zip up phrasal verb

to fasten something using a zip, or to become fastened using a zip OPP unzip

zip something ↔ up

He was zipping up a small brown suitcase.

The dress zipped up at the front.

zip somebody up

Could you zip me up (=fasten my dress) please? I can’t reach.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.