zero
Noun:
- The numerical symbol 0; the number representing no quantity or amount: The integer between +1 and -1.
- A point of origin on a scale: The point from which measurements begin, such as on a thermometer or ruler.
- The lowest possible amount or level; nothing: A state of complete absence or nullity.
Adjective:
- Amounting to the number zero; having no quantity: Indicating the absence of all units.
- Having no measurable value or effect: Being of no significance or degree.
- Relating to a point of origin: Pertaining to a starting point, as in a coordinate system.
Verb:
- To adjust an instrument to a zero point: To set a measuring device so it reads zero.
- To focus or direct attention precisely on a target: To aim or concentrate on something with great accuracy.
Noun:
- The temperature dropped to zero last night.
- Subtracting five from five gives you zero.
- His contribution to the project was zero.
Adjective:
- The company aims for zero waste in its manufacturing process.
- There is zero chance of rain today.
- Start from the zero mark on the tape measure.
Verb:
- Before you weigh the ingredients, you must zero the scale.
- The sniper zeroed his scope for a distance of 300 meters.
"Zero in on": To focus all attention or effort directly on a specific target or goal.
- The detective zeroed in on the key piece of evidence.
- The marketing campaign will zero in on young professionals.
"Zero tolerance": A policy of punishing all infractions of a rule severely, without exception.
- The school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying.
"Ground zero": The point on the earth's surface directly above or below an exploding nuclear weapon; more generally, the very beginning or the central point of a significant event.
- The museum is located at ground zero of the historic battle.
Zero-sum (adj): Describing a situation in which one participant's gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of other participants.
- Poker is often described as a zero-sum game.
Zero-hour (n): The time at which a planned operation, especially a military one, is set to begin.
- The troops awaited zero-hour.
- Noun: Nothing, nil, naught, zilch, nada, null.
- Adjective: None, no, nonexistent.
- Verb: Adjust, calibrate, aim, focus.
- Zero out: To reduce an amount to zero; to completely eliminate or cancel.
- The accountant zeroed out the old debts.
- Please zero out the totals before starting the new count.
"From zero to hero": Describes a dramatic change from being a complete failure to being very successful.
- After his invention took off, he went from zero to hero in the tech industry.
"Below zero": Having a temperature less than zero degrees on a scale (typically Fahrenheit or Celsius).
- It was ten degrees below zero outside.
- of or relating to the null set (a set with no members)
- indicating an initial point or origin
- having no measurable or otherwise determinable value
- the goal is zero population growth
- indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration
- a zero score
- the sight setting that will cause a projectile to hit the center of the target with no wind blowing
- the point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measured
- a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
- a quantity of no importance
- it looked like nothing I had ever seen before
- reduced to nil all the work we had done
- we racked up a pathetic goose egg
- it was all for naught
- I didn't hear zilch about it
- adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun)
- He zeroed in his rifle at 200 yards
- adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value