to zip up
1
4.1
- phrasal verb
- Specialized
- He spent the afternoon zipping up several large files so they could be uploaded faster.
Examples
-
He gathered the files into a single pack, zipped it up, and e-mailed it to Noware.
Fiction book (1999) -
"She said, zipping up her case."
Blog text (34) -
"Zip this up for me, would you, bro?" She cut a glance at her wristwatch.
Fiction book (2002) -
[zip zipping up]
-
To save space on the computer, she decided to zip up the project's files into a single archive.
-
Before sending the documents, make sure to zip up the folder to compress its size.
Synonyms
1
7.6
To make a computer file smaller using a program called gzip
1
3.5
To put more than one file into one smaller file for sending or saving
To put digital files into a new folder or format
Antonyms
How Compressed
- Specialized
1
4.1
43
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
zip + up
The computing meaning 'to compress files into a .zip archive' is a metaphorical extension of 'zip' (to fasten or bring together) with 'up' giving a completive/agentive particle; a learner who knows the literal words may infer this is about packing or closing files but would not reliably derive the specific technical meaning of creating a ZIP archive. Because the connection is partly predictable from the constituents but requires domain knowledge or exposure to the technical sense, it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Zip up in computing comes from the idea of a zipper. You put many files together and close them into one small package, like closing a bag, so to zip up a folder means 'to compress it into a .zip file'.