zip
/zɪp/ (bre, ipa) · /zɪp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈzip/ (ame, mw)
zip — noun
- zipsingular
- zipsplural
1. a long, narrow strip with small interlocking teeth on each side; when a sliding
a long, narrow strip with small interlocking teeth on each side; when a sliding tab is pulled along it, the two sides join together to close clothing, bags, and other fabric items.
Theo's school bag has a broken zip that keeps getting stuck halfway.
collocation: broken zip
Jia bought a new jacket with a strong metal zip that closes easily.
zip + adjective: strong metal zip
The tent came in a small bag with a zip around the top edge.
Can you help me fix the zip on my daughter's winter coat?
Do up your zip before you go outside — it is cold today.
常見錯誤
2. a lively and energetic quality that makes someone or something feel exciting, fa
a lively and energetic quality that makes someone or something feel exciting, fast-paced, or full of life.
The lead singer performed with real zip, getting the whole crowd on their feet.
zip = liveliness / energy
After a good night's sleep, Amara woke up full of zip for the hike.
That little sports car has a surprising amount of zip for its size.
The team's second-half performance lacked zip and they lost their lead.
- sluggishness
the quality of being slow and lacking energy
- dullness
lack of excitement or liveliness
用法筆記
Often used to describe performances, sports teams, vehicles, or people. Not used in formal writing.
常見錯誤
3. not any amount at all; zero — used to emphasise that someone knows, has, or unde
not any amount at all; zero — used to emphasise that someone knows, has, or understands nothing about something.
When the teacher asked about last week's homework, Deepak knew zip and stayed silent.
informal: know zip about [topic]
The bank told us our old account was worth zip after all the fees.
Omar asked for help with his computer, but his roommate understood zip about software.
Hannah searched everywhere for her keys and found zip — they were gone.
- everything
the opposite of nothing at all
用法筆記
This sense is strongly informal and should not be used in academic or professional writing. It is most common in American English.
常見錯誤
zip — verb
- zippresent simple I / you / we / they
- zips3rd person singular
- zipping-ing form
- zippedpast simple
1. to use the sliding tab on a zip to fasten or unfasten something such as an item
to use the sliding tab on a zip to fasten or unfasten something such as an item of clothing or a bag.
Freya zipped her backpack shut before running to catch the school bus.
transitive: zip + object + shut
The toddler could not zip up his coat because his fingers were too small.
phrasal pattern: zip up + object
This sleeping bag just zips together with the one next to it.
Samir helped the little girl zip her dress up the back before the party.
The tent door is difficult to zip because the material is too thick.
- unzip
the direct opposite — to open by pulling the zip tab the other way
文法句型
zip + object
zip up + object
zip (intransitive)
用法筆記
Frequently used with the particle 'up' to emphasise the completed action. The opposite action is 'unzip'.
常見錯誤
2. to move or travel very quickly from one place to another, or along a route — oft
to move or travel very quickly from one place to another, or along a route — often with a sense of lightness, ease, or excitement.
The cyclist zipped past the slower riders and crossed the finish line first.
zip + past + object
We zipped along the coastal highway with the windows rolled all the way down.
zip + along + noun phrase
A small delivery drone zipped over the rooftops and landed in the garden.
The children zipped through the museum, barely stopping at any of the exhibits.
Noa zipped around the supermarket and finished the shopping in ten minutes.
文法句型
zip + prepositional phrase (along, past, through)
zip + adverb (around, about)
用法筆記
Commonly followed by a direction word (along, past, through, around, across). The subject is typically a person, vehicle, or animal moving quickly and lightly.
常見錯誤
3. to make a computer file or folder smaller by using special software, so it takes
to make a computer file or folder smaller by using special software, so it takes up less room on a disk or can be sent more quickly by email.
Elena zipped the photos before emailing them so they would not be too large.
zip + object (files) + before + purpose clause
The technician showed us how to zip a folder of documents into one compressed file.
zip + object + into + file type
Can you zip those design files and send them to the client by this afternoon?
Kavita zipped the video project and uploaded it to the shared drive in seconds.
- unzip
to extract files or restore them to their original size
- decompress
the general technical term for expanding compressed data
文法句型
zip + file/folder
zip + object + into + file
用法筆記
The opposite action is 'unzip'. Most modern computers include built-in software for both actions without needing to install extra programs.