2. A person of no importance or consequence; a worthless or insignificant person; a nobody, a nonentity. Cf. cipher n. 2a.Compare the later phrases to go from zero to hero at Phrases 1 and to go from hero to zero at hero n. Phrases 4; a similar rhyme is found in quot. a1715.

6. Firearms. A position of a gunsight, typically found by trial shooting, which over a certain distance makes allowance for elevation, wind deflection, and the bullet's trajectory. Cf. to zero in 1 at zero v. Phrasal verbs.

7. Linguistics. The absence of a linguistic feature (such as an inflection, or a phonetic or syntactic element) in a position in which one previously existed, or where one is present in corresponding positions elsewhere.Conventionally represented in linguistic analysis by the symbol Ø.

8. Finance. Short for zero-coupon bond at Compounds 2.

1. Characterized by a temperature of zero degrees or below; freezing cold. Cf. sense A. 4c, and subzero adj.

zero-to-hero adj. relating to or involving a sudden increase in popularity or success. Cf. hero-to-zero at hero n. Phrases 4.

a. In sense A. 3a.

b. Linguistics. Designating a linguistic element, such as an inflection, which is not represented by a spoken or written marker, in a position in which such a marker previously existed, or where one is present in corresponding positions elsewhere. Cf. sense A. 7.

zero balance adj. Banking (of a bank account) operated with no continuing balance, funds being transferred to it only to the extent required to meet the withdrawals made.

zero-base adj. originally U.S. (of a budget or budgeting) having each item costed anew, rather than in relation to its size or status in the previous budget; cf. ZBB n. at Z n. Initialisms 1.

zero-based adj. originally U.S. (of a budget or budgeting) having each item costed anew, rather than in relation to its size or status in the previous budget; cf. ZBB n. at Z n. Initialisms 1.

zero beat n. (a) Radio a method of reception in which the incoming signal is mixed with a receiver-generated oscillation of the same frequency as the carrier wave, so that no beats (beat n.¹ 8) are produced; cf. homodyne n. at homo- comb. form 1; (b) (Physics) a condition or arrangement in which two oscillating signals have equal frequencies, or in which the harmonics of one signal form harmonic intervals with those of the other, producing no beats.Often attributive.

zero-carbon adj. producing, causing, or resulting in no emission, or no net emission, of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; cf. carbon-neutral adj. at carbon n. Compounds 3.

zero-coupon adj. Finance designating a bond or other debt obligation for which no interest is paid, being issued below its redemption price, with the full amount payable on maturity; of or relating to a bond, etc., issued in this way; esp. in zero-coupon bond.

zero creep n. now rare (on the graduated scale of an instrument or device) spontaneous slow displacement of the true zero reading.

zero crossing n. the crossing of the horizontal axis by a mathematical function as it passes through zero and changes sign; a point where this occurs; frequently attributive.The analysis of zero crossings is often an important activity in the study of complex waveforms, as is done in the fields of acoustics, electronics, and image processing.

zero-defect adj. of, relating to, or resulting in the manufacture of products without flaws, defects, or errors; (also of a product) without flaws, defects, or errors.

zero derivation n. Linguistics derivation in which a word comes to be used with a different grammatical function or (sometimes) in a different (though related) sense from the existing one, without the form of the word being altered.Used by those who explain such change in terms of the addition of a ‘zero morpheme’, i.e. derivation by the addition of nothing. The more usual term for this is conversion: see conversion n. 11e. Compare earlier zero derivative adj. and n.

zero derivative adj. and n. Linguistics (a) adj. designating a derivative in which the form of the original word is not altered; that marks such a derivative; (b) n. a derivative in which the form of the original word is not altered.See note at zero derivation n.

zero-derived adj. Linguistics (of a word) having a form unaltered from that of the word of which it is a derivative.See note at zero derivation n.

zero-dimensional adj. Mathematics (a) (describing a point) having no extent in any direction; (b) having a dimension (dimension n. Additions) of zero.

zero-emission n. and adj. (also zero-emissions) (a) n. (esp. with reference to vehicles or industrial processes) emission of no or very few pollutants; (b) adj. (esp. of a vehicle or industrial process) characterized by the emission of no or very few pollutants; cf. low emission adj. and n. at low adj. and n.² Compounds 3. ⓘEmissions are typically products of combustion, and may be gaseous or in particulate form. In the context of global warming, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are often implied.

zero-energy adj. Nuclear Physics designating a small nuclear reactor, built for research purposes, that develops so little power that no cooling and minimal shielding are required; = zero-power adj.

zero-field adj. attributive designating a property, phenomenon, etc., relating to a condition in which a magnetic or other field is absent, or has an intensity of zero.

zero-G adj. and n. (also zero-g) (a) adj.= zero gravity n. and adj. (b); (b) n. = zero gravity n. and adj. (a).

zero grade n. Linguistics the most reduced form of weak ablaut grade, in which the vowel disappears; = nil-grade n. at nil n.¹, adv., and adj. Compounds.

zero gravity n. and adj. (a) n. the state or condition in which there is no apparent force of gravity acting on a body, either because the force is locally weak, or because both the body and its surroundings are freely and equally accelerating under gravity = weightlessness n. at weightless adj. Derivatives; (b) adj. possessing or characterized by zero gravity; designed for use in zero gravity; occurring in zero gravity.Abbreviated zero-G.

zero-graze v. Agriculture transitive to feed (cattle) with cut grass brought to them instead of putting them out to pasture; cf. soil v.⁴ 1.

zero-grazed adj. Agriculture (of cattle) fed with cut grass brought to them instead of being put out to pasture; cf. soiled adj.²

zero grazing n. Agriculture the practice of feeding cattle with cut grass brought to them instead of putting them out to pasture; cf. soiling n.⁴ 1.

zero growth n. an absence of increase (in population, economic activity or value, etc.); cf. negative growth n. at negative adj., adv.², and int. Compounds.

zero-length adj. Aeronautics (now chiefly historical) of or relating to a launching system in which aircraft or missiles are launched from a mobile platform, without travelling along it for any significant distance, using rocket boosters as a source of thrust; (also) designating such a launch or launcher, or the (short) fittings supporting the rocket boosters.In a zero-length launching system the very first motion of the aircraft or missile causes it to disconnect from the launcher. In later use also used to contrast launches from mobile platforms with those requiring a runway.

zero-line n. a line represented by 0 on a scale or instrument, used as the basis for taking measurements; (also) a value from which a positive or negative quantity is reckoned, a baseline. cf. A. 4a, A. 4b.

zero magnet n. now rare a magnet used to reset the zero of an instrument or device; cf. sense A. 4a.

zero mark n. (a) a mark on a scale or instrument from which a positive or negative quantity is reckoned; (b) a mark from which distances along roads or railway lines are measured (cf. zero post n.) (now rare).

zero meridian n. (a) a meridian representing the zero of longitude; esp. the prime meridian through Greenwich; (b) (Astronomy) the meridian through the first point of Aries, from which right ascension is measured (cf. first point of Aries n. at point n.¹ Phrases 5a).

zero norm n. Economics (in a period of pay restraint) the principle that the percentage increase in wages should be zero in all but exceptional circumstances; = nil norm n. at nil n.¹, adv., and adj. Compounds.

zero option n. a disarmament proposal for the total removal of certain types of weapons on both sides of a conflict or confrontation; spec. one put forward in the early 1980s for both the Soviet Union and the United States to remove all their medium-range nuclear missiles from Europe.

zero-order adj. (a) Statistics designating the degree of correlation between two variables when no other variables are held constant; (also) of or relating to this; (b) Chemistry designating a chemical reaction in which the rate of reaction is constant and (apparently) independent of the concentration of the reactant; (also) designating an equation modelling such a reaction.

zero plane n. a plane (plane n.³ 1a) from or against which measurements or comparisons are made.

zero population growth n. the absence of any increase (or decrease) in a population over a period of time; abbreviated ZPG.

zero post n. a post from which distances along roads or railway lines are measured; cf. zero mark n.

zero-power adj. Nuclear Physics designating a small nuclear reactor, usually built for research purposes, that develops so little power that no cooling and minimal shielding are required; = zero-energy adj.

zero-rate v. transitive to assess (a product or service) for value added tax or other sales tax at a rate of zero.

zero-rated adj. (of a product or service) having a rate of value added tax or other sales tax set at zero.

zero rating n. a rating of zero for value added tax or other sales tax on a particular item; (also) the practice of assessing the value added tax or other sales tax at zero for a particular item.

zero sound n. [after Russian nulevoj zvuk (L. D. Landau 1957, in Žurnal èksper. i teoret. fiziki 32 59)] the propagation of waves through a Fermi liquid, caused by deformation of the Fermi surface rather than collisions between particles; see sound n.³ 1d.

zero tillage n. Agriculture a form of agriculture in which seed is sown in unploughed ground, herbicides being used to kill or control any existing vegetation; = no-till n., sod planting n. at sod n.¹ Compounds 4.

zero waste adj. and n. (a) n. (esp. with reference to the manufacture or distribution of a product) generation of very little or no waste; (b) adj. (esp. of the manufacture or distribution of a product) characterized by the generation of very little or no waste.

†1. transitive. Apparently: to make (a person) ineffective or powerless. Obsolete. rare.

2. transitive. To set the sights of (a rifle) by testing it with targets at known distances. Also with on. Cf. zero n. 6, to zero in 1 at Phrasal verbs.

†3. transitive. To schedule a time for the beginning of (a military operation). Cf. zero hour n. 1. Obsolete. rare.

4. transitive. To adjust (an instrument or device) to give a zero reading, esp. for the purposes of calibration.

5. transitive. To reduce to zero; to eliminate, remove; to omit, leave out. Cf. to zero out at Phrasal verbs.