Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Zip for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Zip" — noun, pronounced /zɪp/, with the stress on "zip".
Narrator: A zip is a fastener with two rows of metal or plastic teeth joined by a sliding tab.
Narrator: In plain English, it closes coats and bags.
Narrator: It imitates the zipping sound, from the early 1900s.
Narrator: A common collocation is "zip up", which describes fastening a jacket.
Narrator: It differs from "button", because a zip slides shut in one movement.
Narrator: In a second sense, a zip file compresses files into one smaller file.
Narrator: Fashion, computing, post and outdoor gear all rely on the word.
Narrator: So remember: zip fastens coats and folders.
Speaker A: How do I send all these photos?
Speaker B: ZIP them into one file! It imitates the zipping sound.
Speaker A: Smaller too?
Speaker B: Much smaller.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "My zip is stuck", clothes. "Download the zip file", computing. "Zip up, it's cold", winter.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: British English says zip, American says zipper for clothes, and "ZIP code" is a US postcode.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Zipper is its twin, fastener its cousin, and archive an alternative — yet zip keeps its speedy charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "zip" in AI prompts — useful for file handling and product listings.
Speaker A: How for files?
Speaker B: Compression.
Prompt: Write a script that zips a folder and names it with today’s date.
Speaker A: And shops?
Speaker B: Listings.
Prompt: Write a listing for a waterproof jacket with a full-length zip.
Speaker A: Could it help repairs?
Speaker B: Yes, for fixes.
Prompt: Explain how to fix a stuck zip on a rucksack.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Uploads.
Prompt: Let users upload a zip file and extract the images safely on the server.
Zip — meaning in Arabic & definition More Z courses GL Dictionary