Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense zeros, plural, 3rd person singular presenttense zeroes, present participle zeroing, past tense, past participle zeroed
1. number
Zero is the number 0.
Visibility at the city's airport came down to zero, bringing air traffic to a standstill.
...a scale ranging from zero to seven.
2. uncountable noun
Zero is a temperature of 0°. It is freezing point on the Centigrade and Celsius scales, and 32° below freezing point on the Fahrenheit scale.
It's a sunny late winter day, just a few degrees above zero.
That night the mercury fell to thirty degrees below zero.
3. adjective
You can use zero to say that there is none at all of the thing mentioned.
This new ministry was being created with zero assets and zero liabilities.
...zero inflation.
His chances are zero.
usage note: As a number, zero is used mainly in scientific contexts, or when you want to be precise. In spokenBritish English, nought is much more common. ...from nought to 60 in a fraction of one second. However, when you are stating a telephone number, you say o ((əʊ)). In some sports contexts, especially in football scores, nil is used. England beat Poland two-nil at Wembley. In tennis, love is the usual word. ...a two-games-to-love lead.
Phrasal verbs:
See zero in on
More Synonyms of zero
zero in British English
(ˈzɪərəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-ros or -roes
1.
the symbol 0, indicating an absence of quantity or magnitude; nought
Former name: cipher
2.
the integer denoted by the symbol 0; nought
3.
the cardinal number between +1 and –1
4.
nothing; nil
5.
a person or thing of no significance; nonentity
6.
the lowest point or degree
his prospects were put at zero
7.
the line or point on a scale of measurement from which the graduations commence
8.
a.
the temperature, pressure, etc, that registers a reading of zero on a scale
b.
the value of a variable, such as temperature, obtained under specified conditions
9.
a gunsight setting in which accurate allowance has been made for both windage and elevation for a specified range
10. mathematics
a.
the cardinal number of a set with no members
b.
the identity element of addition
11. linguistics
a.
an allomorph with no phonetic realization, as the plural marker of English sheep
b.
(as modifier)
a zero form
12. Also called: zero-coupon bond finance
a bond that pays no interest, the equivalent being paid in its redemption value
Compare Zebra
adjective
13.
having no measurable quantity, magnitude, etc
14. meteorology
a.
(of a cloud ceiling) limiting visibility to 15 metres (50 feet) or less
b.
(of horizontal visibility) limited to 50 metres (165 feet) or less
verbWord forms: -roes, -roing or -roed
15. (transitive)
to adjust (an instrument, apparatus, etc) so as to read zero or a position taken as zero
determiner
16. informal, mainly US
no (thing) at all
this job has zero interest
Word origin
C17: from Italian, from Medieval Latin zephirum, from Arabic sifr empty, cipher
zero in American English
(ˈzɪroʊ; ˈziroʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˈzeros or ˈzeroes
1.
the symbol or numeral 0, representing the complete absence of any quantity or magnitude
2.
the point, marked 0, from which positive or negative quantities are reckoned on a graduated scale, as on a thermometer
; specif.,
a.
on a centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water
b.
on a Fahrenheit thermometer, a point 32° below the freezing point of water
3.
a temperature that causes a thermometer to register zero
4.
the point intermediate between positive and negative quantities
5.
nothing
6.
the lowest point
his chances of success sank to zero
7. Artillery
a sight setting for a range, allowing for both elevation and windage
adjective
8.
of or at zero
9.
without measurable value
10. Informal
not any; no
a snack having zero cholesterol
11. Aeronautics
a.
designating or of a ceiling that is at or near the ground, specif. one at a height of fifty feet or lower
b.
designating or of visibility along the ground regarded as within the limit of a fewfeet
12. Linguistics
designating a hypothetical inflectional form
the plural of deer is said to be formed by the addition of a zero allomorph of the plural morpheme
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈzeroed or ˈzeroing
13.
to adjust (an instrument, etc.) to a zero point or to an arbitrary point from which all positive and negative readings are to be measured
Idioms:
zero in
zero in on
Word origin
Fr zéro < It zero < Ar ṣifr, cipher
Examples of 'zero' in a sentence
zero
Why did he sleep in his car when temperatures were plunging below zero?
The Sun (2017)
Forecasters say temperatures will crash below zero with snow likely in some areas in the coming weeks.
The Sun (2016)
You now know East has between zero and two points.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
With temperatures predicted to drop below zero this week and the fighting intensifying, there is worse to come.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Out of two good performances we get zero points and out of two leading positions, we lose two games.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Temperatures are not expected to rise much above zero overnight in many areas.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Be sure to clear the balance on your card before any introductory zero per cent deal ends.
The Sun (2012)
They will all feature electric car charging points and zero carbon buildings.
The Sun (2009)
There is zero appetite for big business to have more power over the little guy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They should reset the list at zero and give the next generation a chance.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The countdown to glory began and it almost reached zero.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You have to when the temperature in more than half the country hovers below zero in winter.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But there is a big fat zero in the goals scored column for his country.
The Sun (2013)
About teaching the history of the subject like the moment we came up with the number zero.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have not got zero inflation yet.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The card also charges zero interest on purchases for the first six months.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
From hero to zero in one childish argument.
The Sun (2010)
It felt like absolute zero down there.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Not pretty when they get zero points in two matches.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He made a big zero with his fingers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Zero and zero and zero and zero were added up and the total came to a perception of infinity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Most on zero hours deals are young people or second earners who do not rely on these jobs to pay bills.
The Sun (2015)
Temperatures rose above zero in many areas for the first time in weeks and the snowand ice gradually began to disappear.
The Sun (2010)
For six years, he gives me zero support.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
zero
British English: zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/ NOUN
Zero is freezing point on the Centigrade scale. It is often written as 0°C.
...thirty degrees below zero.
American English: zero
Arabic: صِفْر
Brazilian Portuguese: zero
Chinese: 零
Croatian: nula
Czech: nula
Danish: nul
Dutch: nul
European Spanish: cero número
Finnish: nolla
French: zéro
German: Null
Greek: μηδέν
Italian: zero
Japanese: 零
Korean: 영
Norwegian: null
Polish: zero
European Portuguese: zero
Romanian: zero celsius
Russian: ноль
Latin American Spanish: cero
Swedish: noll
Thai: ศูนย์
Turkish: sıfır
Ukrainian: нуль
Vietnamese: số không
All related terms of 'zero'
zero-G
the state or condition of weightlessness
zero in
to bring (a weapon) to bear (on a target ), as while firing repeatedly
size zero
a very small size in women's clothes, originating in the US, equivalent to a UK size 4
sub-zero
Sub-zero temperatures are below 0° centigrade or, in the United States, below 0° Fahrenheit .
year zero
the beginning (1975) of the period during which Cambodia was under the control of the Khmer Rouge
zero-base
relating to a form of budgeting in which items are considered in their own right and not with reference to previous expenditure
zero hour
the time set for the start of an attack or the initial stage of an operation
zero-rate
to rate at a VAT level of zero
zero-sum
relating to a situation in which one person's loss is equal to the other person's gain
ground zero
a point on the surface of land or water at or directly above or below the centre of a nuclear explosion
status zero
the condition of young people who are out of school but not in further education or training , permanently or regularly out of work, and dropping out of the mainstream of society
zero-based
relating to a form of budgeting in which items are considered in their own right and not with reference to previous expenditure
zero-coupon
designating or of a bond sold at a discount and redeemed upon maturity at its face value, with no periodic payments of interest
zero growth
a lack of increase or development
zero option
(in international nuclear arms negotiations ) an offer to remove all shorter-range nuclear missiles or, in the case of the zero-zero option all intermediate-range nuclear missiles, if the other side will do the same
zero point
the point on a scale that denotes zero and from which positive and negative readings can be made
zero-rated
denoting goods on which the buyer pays no value-added tax although the seller can claim back any tax he or she has paid
zero-rating
the process of rating goods at a VAT level of zero
zero stage
a solid-propellant rocket attached to a liquid-propellant rocket to provide greater thrust at liftoff
absolute zero
Absolute zero is a theoretical temperature that is thought to be the lowest possible temperature.
measure zero
the property of a set of points for which, given any small number, there exists a set of intervals such that each point of the given set is contained in at least one of the intervals and such that, essentially , the combined length of the intervals is less than the small number
zero altitude
the height at which the atmospheric pressure is 610.5 Pa
zero defects
an aspect of total quality management that stresses the objective of error-free performance in providing goods or services
zero-emission
A zero-emission vehicle does not produce any dangerous gases.
zero gravity
the state or condition of weightlessness
zero grazing
a type of dairy farming in which the cattle are fed with cut grass
zero in on
To zero in on a target means to aim at it or move towards it.
zero balancing
a therapy involving the manipulation of the patient's skeletal structure in order to restore the balance of energy, relieve pain , and maintain well-being
zero tolerance
If a government or organization has a policy of zero tolerance of a particular type of behaviour or activity, they will not tolerate it at all.
zero-zero option
(in international nuclear arms negotiations ) an offer to remove all intermediate-range nuclear missiles , if the other side will do the same
zero-sum game
If you refer to a situation as a zero-sum game , you mean that if one person gains an advantage from it, someone else involved must suffer an equivalent disadvantage .
a zero-sum game
a situation in which if one person gains an advantage , someone else involved must suffer an equivalent disadvantage
zero-coupon bond
the symbol 0, indicating an absence of quantity or magnitude ; nought
zero-coupon bonds
Zero-coupon bonds are bonds with no coupons that do not pay interest , and are sold at a large discount from their face value.
aleph-null
the smallest infinite cardinal number ; the cardinal number of the set of positive integers
sub-zero temperatures
The temperature of something is a measure of how hot or cold it is.
zero-hours contract
A zero-hours contract is a contract where the employer does not have to provide regular work for the employee, but the employee has to be on call in case they are needed to work.
zero population growth
the condition, viewed as a social aim , when the population of a given area neither increases nor declines
no-tillage
a system of farming in which planting is done in a narrow trench , without tillage , and weeds are controlled with herbicide
ZB
zero balancing
H-hour
the specific hour at which any operation commences
ZIF
ZIF describes a type of microchip socket that clamps the chip pins after insertion , and so requires no downward force on the microchip or its pins to insert it into the socket.
ZPG
zero population growth
Chinese translation of 'zero'
zero
(ˈzɪərəu)
Word forms:plzerozeroes
n
(u/c) (= number) 零 (líng) (个(個), gè)
(u) (= nothing) 没(沒)有 (méiyǒu)
⇒ Visibility at the city's airport came down to zero.这个城市机场的能见度降为零。 (Zhège chéngshì jīchǎng de néngjiàndù jiàng wéi líng.)
adj
为(為)零的 (wéilíng de)
5 degrees below zero零下5度 (língxià wǔdù)
1 (noun)
Definition
the cardinal number between +1 and -1
a scale ranging from zero to seven
Synonyms
nought
Properties are graded from nought to ten for energy efficiency.
nothing (informal)
I went from being a complete nothing to having people call me a star.
nil
The chances of success are virtually nil.
naught
cipher (obsolete)
2 (noun)
Definition
nothing or nil
A man's sperm count drops to zero.
Synonyms
zilch
nil
nothing
zip (US, slang)
nada (US, informal)
bugger all (slang)
fuck all (taboo, slang)
sweet FA (informal)
sweet Fanny Adams (informal)
3 (noun)
Definition
the lowest point or degree
My spirits were at zero.
Synonyms
rock bottom
the bottom
an all-time low
a nadir
as low as you can get
the lowest point or ebb
phrasal verb
See zero in on something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cipher
Definition
the numeral zero
Synonyms
zero,
nothing (informal),
nil,
nought
in the sense of nil
Definition
nothing: esp. as a score in games
The chances of success are virtually nil.
Synonyms
zero,
nothing,
none,
naught,
zilch (slang),
zip (US, slang),
nihil
in the sense of nothing
Definition
a person or thing of no importance or significance
I went from being a complete nothing to having people call me a star.