In sense B.2 shortened <zippern. (compare sense 2a at that entry).
In sense B.3 with allusion to the speed of the associated software (compare sense A) and to the similarity of the manner in which the software packages data to the manner in which items may be packaged and zipped into a bag or container (compare sense B.2, and also zipv.1 2c).
Meaning & use
interjection
1678–
Representing a sharp whining, buzzing, or ripping sound such as that produced by a bullet or other object passing rapidly through the air; (hence) representing the sudden appearance or occurrence of something. Frequently reduplicated or in collocation with words representing other similar sounds.
1678
It [sc. the Brasilian Tangara] is kept shut up in Cages, and cries, Zip, Zip [L. clamat zip, zip].
J. Ray, translation of F. Willughby, Ornithologyii. 344
1867
Dan threw the lantern light about, at the same time seizing his gun and cocking it... ‘Zip, bang!’
Our Young Folks September 545
1930
Suddenly—zip—his future telescoped, his traveling thoughts were snatched back to reality.
S. Benson, Far-away Bride (1941) v. 63
1981
Suddenly, zip, zip, zip, zip, a burst of Japanese machine-gun fire..slashed through the air under my hammock!
E. B. Sledge, With Old Breed (1990) 154
2002
Despite fireworks clearly being ridiculous, I'm one of those who can't get enough of them... I like the white ones that go zip, zip, zip bang.
Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia) (Nexis) 30 December (Today section) 16
A sharp whining, buzzing, or ripping sound such as that produced by a bullet or other object passing rapidly through the air; a movement accompanied by such a sound. Also reduplicated, as in zip-zip.
1850
The leaden hail hurtled past his head, and cut the grass at his feet, with that peculiar ‘zip-zip’, so well remembered by the soldier, who has passed the ordeal of a battle!
M. Reid, Rifle Rangersvol. II. xxiii. 207
1862
Then would come the sharp zip of the bullet, and the fearful screech of the shot and shell.
S. M. Weld, War Diary & Letters (1912) 134
1875
The blood-thirsty zip of mosquitoes by the million.
W. P. Fogg, Arabistan xxi. 264
1887
The zip of the needle and swish of the thread went on.
D. C. Murray in Good Words April 249
1920
The vicious zip-zip of the bullets as they cut the grass at one's feet—or head.
E. A. Edwards, From Doniphan to Verdun vi. 97
2010
He ripped the tie from Bernado's neck with a loud zip. It was attached with Velcro.
A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of metal or plastic which can be closed or opened by pulling a sliding tag along them; (also) the sliding tag on such a fastener. Cf. zippern. 2a, which is the more common term in North America.
Such fasteners were first patented in the late 19th cent. and were formerly known as lightning fasteners; they became popular in the 1920s when they were used on overshoes sold under the brand name Zipper (see zippern. 1 and quot. 1925 at zip fastenern.).
1925
The women on the Avenue with their galoshes fastened by the ‘Zip’.
E. O'Shaughnessy, Married Life 102
1940
Miss Fisher used to wear some lovely plum-coloured trousers with a zip to match.
Punch 5 June 612/2
1957
There was too much messing about with buttons and zips and straps.
J. Braine, Room at Top ix. 90
1969
I lost marks in a dressmaking competition because the zipp was machine-stitched in.
Homes & Gardens November 190/1
1986
He stands over her, pulls his zip down.
J. Cartwright, Road (1990) ii. 57 (stage direct.)
1995
He..watched her wrestle with the zip of the tight red skirt.
K. O'Riordan, Involved 20
2005
Nancy..brought out a cheap fabric handbag with a broken zip.
Computing. Also in form ZIP and with preceding point. A file format (named with the file extension .zip) allowing compressed versions of files to be stored within a single archive file. Also (more fully zip file) an archive file of this format.
1989
Disclaimer: I have no association with Phil Katz and/or PKWARE Inc., except as an enthusiastic supporter of the new ZIP file format.
comp.sys.ibm.pc 1 February (Usenet usegroup, accessed 28 Sept. 2011)
1996
This utility can come in handy after you download a file or when you're preparing to upload a .ZIP.
Infoworld 1 July 90/3
2004
Many games/programs are stored in .zip files, so you might need an archive manager like WinZip.
Retro Gamer No. 10. 96/2
2011
Alaattin later sent me an enormous zip file filled with photographs.
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.
Vowels
iːfleece
ihappy
ɪkit
ɛdress
atrap, bath
ɑːstart, palm, bath
ɒlot
ɔːthought, force
ʌstrut
ʊfoot
uːgoose
əletter
əːnurse
ɪənear
ɛːsquare
ʊəcure
eɪface
ʌɪpride
aʊmouth
əʊgoat
ɔɪvoice
ãgratin
ɒ̃salon
ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.
Vowels
ifleece, happy
ɪkit
ɛdress
ætrap, bath
ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
ɑrstart
ɔcloth, thought
ɔrnorth, force
ʊfoot
ugoose
əstrut, comma
ərnurse, letter
ɪ(ə)rnear
ɛ(ə)rsquare
ʊ(ə)rcure
eɪface
aɪpride
aʊmouth
oʊgoat
ɔɪvoice
ɑ̃gratin
æ̃salon
ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
gguy
jjay
yyore
chchore
khloch
shshore
ththaw
dhthee
zhbeige
Vowels
atrap
ahpalm
airsquare
arstart
arrcarry (British only)
awthought
ayface
a(ng)gratin
edress
eefleece
eerdeer
errmerry
ikit
ighpride
irrmirror
olot (British only)
ohgoat
oogoose
oorcure
orforce
orrsorry (British only)
owmouth
oyvoice
o(ng)salon
ustrut
uhletter
urnurse
urrhurry
uufoot
Forms
Variant forms
1800s–
zip, zipp
Frequency
zip typically occurs about once per million words in modern written English.
zip is in frequency band 5, which contains words occurring between 1 and 10 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.
Frequency of zip, int. & n.¹, 1860–2010
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.
The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.
For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.
Decade
Frequency per million words
1860
0.012
1870
0.017
1880
0.024
1890
0.035
1900
0.045
1910
0.055
1920
0.074
1930
0.1
1940
0.14
1950
0.18
1960
0.28
1970
0.49
1980
0.81
1990
1.1
2000
1.2
2010
1.2
Frequency of zip, int. & n.¹, 2017–2024
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the corpus.
As a modifier with the sense ‘with or by means of a zip’, as in zip-fastened, zip-locked, etc. Also forming adjectives with the sense ‘that has a —— fastened by means of a zip’, by combining with a noun + ‑ed, as in zip-fronted, zip-topped, etc.
1928
As yet, zip-fastened suede coats are very expensive.
Prahran (Melbourne) Tel. 23 March 7/4
1929
The trousers pockets are also zip closed.
Commercial Tribune (Cincinnati) 1 December 8
1979
She folded her cap inside her apron and pushed both into her zip-topped bag.
This England Winter 19/3
1998
The fine, lightweight knitwear includes zip-fronted styles.
GQ August 202/1
2000
Inside a zip-locked bag sat an unfathomably large amount of heroin.
R. Bingham, Lightning on Sun 91
C.1.b.
1933–
As a modifier with the sense ‘of or involving a zip; opened or closed by means of a zip; provided with a zip’, as in zip bag, zip front, zip pocket, zip pull, etc.