1. To create a compressed archive (a "zip file") fROM one or more files using PKWare' s PKZIP or a compatible archiver. Its use is spreading fROMMS-DOS now that portable implementations of the algorithm have been written. zip is also the name of a Unix archiving utility compatible with PKZIP. unzip is the corresponding de-archiver. See also gzip, tar and feather. 2. Zip Drive. [Jargon File] (1996-08-26)