zip

A fastener with two rows of small teeth that join when you pull a small sliding piece.

• The zip on my bag is broken.
• She pulled the zip up on her jacket.
• Can you help me fix this stuck zip?

Similar words: zipper

Common phrases: coat zip, broken zip, zip on something

Nothing at all, or an amount of zero.

• I know zip about cars.
• He earned zip from the deal.
• We worked all day and got absolutely zip.

Similar words: nothing, zero, zilch

Common phrases: know zip, absolutely zip, get zip

A short, high sound made by a small object moving quickly through the air.

• We heard the zip of an arrow.
• A sharp zip passed close to his ear.
• The zip of the bullet broke the silence.

Similar words: whizz, zing

Common phrases: zip of something, sharp zip

To close clothes or a bag by pulling its small sliding fastener.

• Please zip up your jacket.
• She zipped the bag before leaving.
• Can you zip my dress up?

How to use it: zip something up (Please zip your coat up.); zip up something (He zipped up his bag.)

Opposites: unzip

Common phrases: zip up something, zip something up, zip a bag

To move somewhere very quickly, or make something move very quickly.

• A bird zipped past me.
• She zipped the toy car across the floor.
• Little boats were zipping across the lake.

How to use it: zip through something (Bikes zipped through the narrow streets.); zip something across something (She zipped the cursor across the screen.)

Similar words: speed, whizz, race

Common phrases: zip past someone, zip across something, zip through traffic, zip to somewhere

To move quickly through the air with a short, high sound.

• A bullet zipped past his head.
• Arrows zipped overhead during the battle.
• We heard a stone zip through the air.

How to use it: zip through something (The arrow zipped through the air.)

Similar words: whizz

Common phrases: zip through air, zip past someone, zip overhead