zeroverb
Factsheet
What does the verb zero mean?
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb zero, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
zero has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
How common is the verb zero?
| 1810 | 0.023 |
| 1820 | 0.033 |
| 1830 | 0.051 |
| 1840 | 0.066 |
| 1850 | 0.075 |
| 1860 | 0.094 |
| 1870 | 0.11 |
| 1880 | 0.18 |
| 1890 | 0.19 |
| 1900 | 0.23 |
| 1910 | 0.27 |
| 1920 | 0.4 |
| 1930 | 0.65 |
| 1940 | 1.3 |
| 1950 | 2.0 |
| 1960 | 2.3 |
| 1970 | 2.3 |
| 1980 | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 2.2 |
| 2010 | 2.1 |
How is the verb zero pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the verb zero come from?
Earliest known use
1810s
The earliest known use of the verb zero is in the 1810s.
OED's earliest evidence for zero is from 1813, in the writing of Robert Thomas Wilson, army officer and colonial governor.
It is also recorded as a noun from the early 1600s.
zero is formed within English, by conversion.
Etymons: zero n.
Nearby entries
- Zeppelining, n.1915–
- Zeppelinist, n.1912–
- Zeppelinistic, adj.1930–
- Zeppelinite, n.1909–
- zeppole, n.1835–
- zepto-, comb. form
- zeranol, n.1971–
- zerda, n.1780–1860
- zerk, n.1926–
- zero, n. & adj.1604–
- zero, v.1813–
- zeroable, adj.1956–
- zero balance, adj.1974–
- zero-base, adj.1962–
- zero-based, adj.1963–
- zero beat, n.1920–
- zero-carbon, adj.1990–
- zero-coupon, adj.1979–
- zero creep, n.1904–
- zero crossing, n.1941–
- zero day, n.1917–
Etymology
Meaning & use
- 1.1813† transitive. Apparently: to make (a person) ineffective or powerless. Obsolete. rare.
- 1813
Lord Cathcart..permits me to go on a visit to my friends in command, but he ‘wishes to have no report of what I hear or see, as it would be indelicate to have any papers contradicting the official document.’ This is indeed zeroing me.
R. Wilson, Private Diary March (1861) vol. I. 309
- 2.1911–transitive. To set the sights of (a rifle) by testing it with targets at known distances. Also with on. Cf. zero n. A.6, to zero in 1 at Phrasal verbs.
- 1911
Team practise began on June 22 at Fort Sheridan, it being considered best to ‘zero’ all guns there on account of the protected nature of the range.
Infantry Journal (U.S.) January 630 - 1958
I had not yet fired at a live target, though..I had zeroed it on a marked one.
L. van der Post, Lost World of Kalahari vii. 142 - 1979
The rifle had been zeroed..at an elevation of 200.
D. Lowden, Boudapesti 3 xxxii. 176 - 2015
To zero a rifle, you line up on the target and shoot five times.
J. Mitic, Unflinching i. ii. 23
- 3.1926† transitive. To schedule a time for the beginning of (a military operation). Cf. zero hour n. 1. Obsolete. rare.
- 1926
Plan No. 7 will be put in operation to-night. It will be zeroed as from 23 00 hours.
Blackwood's Magazine December 774/1
the world time particular time [transitive verbs] time, appoint, or set a time for fix the zero hour for- zero1926transitive. To schedule a time for the beginning of (a military operation). Cf. zero hour, n. 1. Obsolete. rare.
- 4.1928–transitive. To adjust (an instrument or device) to give a zero reading, esp. for the purposes of calibration.
- 1928
The man in the field will be quick to appreciate how simple a job it is to clean the Foxboro Orifice Meters. After cleaning and assembling the meter is zeroed by a simple micrometer adjustment.
National Petroleum News 13 June 51 (advertisement) - 1938
The manometer..to be set up, levelled, zeroed and read rapidly and easily under the unfavourable conditions of an open dune during a sandstorm.
Proceedings of Royal Society A. vol. 167 283 - 1969
He checked the odometer which he had zeroed at the Porte de Versailles. Three more kilometres, then a right turn.
B. Weil, Dossier IX v. 34 - 1982
One button..can zero the read-out at any point, allowing you to add ingredients without emptying the bowl.
Homes & Gardens January 17/3 - 2010
The transducing system should be zeroed to atmospheric pressure.
J. J. Nagelhout et al., Handbook Nurse Anesthesia (ed. 4) xvii. 331/2
the world relative properties measurement measuring instrument [transitive verbs] measure by or as an instrument measure by means of instruments adjust setting of instrument- calibrate1863–transitive. To determine the correct position, value, capacity, etc., of; to set an instrument so that readings taken from it are absolute rather…
- zeroize1894–transitive. To adjust (an instrument or device) to give a zero reading, esp. for the purposes of calibration; to assign a value of zero to. Cf. zero…
- zero1928–transitive. To adjust (an instrument or device) to give a zero reading, esp. for the purposes of calibration.
- 5.1965–transitive. To reduce to zero; to eliminate, remove; to omit, leave out. Cf. to zero out at Phrasal verbs.
- 1965
We can zero a repetitive subject under W: (1) We prefer our studying French. → We prefer studying French.
Language vol. 41 397 - 1973
Etymologies of words subsequently zeroed from the vocabulary of Webster's Third have been replaced.
Word 1966 vol. 22 7 - 1990
A graphic appeared on the screen. ‘Zero Screen 311!’ he bellowed.
Tennis July 86/2
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige
Vowels
- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot
Frequency
zero typically occurs about twice per million words in modern written English.
zero is in frequency band 5, which contains words occurring between 1 and 10 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zero, v., 1810–2010
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.
The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.
For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.
| Decade | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 1810 | 0.023 |
| 1820 | 0.033 |
| 1830 | 0.051 |
| 1840 | 0.066 |
| 1850 | 0.075 |
| 1860 | 0.094 |
| 1870 | 0.11 |
| 1880 | 0.18 |
| 1890 | 0.19 |
| 1900 | 0.23 |
| 1910 | 0.27 |
| 1920 | 0.4 |
| 1930 | 0.65 |
| 1940 | 1.3 |
| 1950 | 2.0 |
| 1960 | 2.3 |
| 1970 | 2.3 |
| 1980 | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 2.2 |
| 2010 | 2.1 |
Frequency of zero, v., 2017–2024
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the corpus.
| Period | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1.5 |
| 2018 | 1.5 |
| 2019 | 1.5 |
| 2020 | 1.4 |
| 2021 | 1.4 |
| 2022 | 1.4 |
| 2023 | 1.3 |
| 2024 | 1.3 |
Phrasal verbs
- to zero in
- 1.a.1943–intransitive. To set the sights of a gun or missile on a target; to take aim; (more loosely) to select a person or place as the object of attack. Frequently with on. Cf. sense 2, zero n. A.6.
- 1943
The sergeant checked positions and then ‘zeroed in.’
Stars & Stripes (Mediterranean edition) 11 December 3/3 - 1991
With Saddam zeroing in on Tel Aviv, Israel may contemplate scrambling its jets again.
Newsweek 28 January 26/4 - 2012
The militia ‘walked’ 120mm mortar shells right into the central area of the palace, zeroing in on the old British consulate building.
M. R. Gordon & B. E. Trainor, Endgame xxv. 478
society armed hostility military equipment operation and use of weapons action of propelling missile discharge of firearms management of artillery [intransitive verbs] operate artillery- to zero in1943–intransitive. To set the sights of a gun or missile on a target; to take aim; (more loosely) to select a person or place as the object of attack…
- 1.b.1944–transitive. Chiefly in passive. To set the sights of a gun or missile on (a target).
- 1944
Don't you know the Jerries have that road zeroed in?—a phrase meaning the Germans had sighted their guns on the road and needed only to pull their triggers.
Newsweek 8 January 45 - 1965
American bases overseas and American targets on the mainland are at all times zeroed in by Soviet missiles, and vice versa.
H. Kahn, On Escalation iv. 74 - 1971
These roads were well covered by strongpoints, and zeroed-in by artillery.
Scope (South Africa) 19 March 20/4 - 2016
The trooper..moved the cattle into the field that was zeroed in by the Germans.
G. J. Dettore, Screaming Eagle Gliders iv. 238
- 1.c.1944–transitive. Chiefly in passive. To set the sights of (a gun or missile) on a target. Frequently with on.
- 1944
Germans who had retreated out of town ‘zeroed in’ mortar shells among troops and light tanks which tried to follow.
Life 14 August 57/1 - 1961
The Russians now have some 50 ICBMs ready to go, presumably zeroed in on U.S. targets.
Time (Atlantic edition) 17 February 16 - 1984
The Vietnamese were using long-range 130-millimeter howitzers zeroed in by forward observers.
New York Times (Nexis) 29 December i. 3/1 - 2003
Tokyo believes Pyongyang already has about 100 Nodong missiles zeroed in on targets around Japan.
Australian (Nexis) 7 March (World section) 8
- reachOld English–1591transitive. To direct, aim. Obsolete. rare.
- seta1300–1700To direct, aim (transitive and intransitive). Obsolete.
- shapec1400–1596To direct, address (speech); to aim (a blow). Obsolete.
- ettlec1450–transitive. To direct (something) to or at a person or thing; esp. to aim (a blow or missile) at. Also intransitive to take aim (at).
- charge1517transitive. To aim and direct (a blow or hit). Obsolete. rare.
- bend1530–1803transitive. To direct, turn, aim, level, bring to bear (cannon, forces, etc.) against, upon, at. Obsolete.
- level1530–To aim (a missile weapon); to ‘lay’ (a gun); also rarely, to bring (a spear) to the proper level for striking. Also to level one's aim. (Frequently…
- aimc1565–transitive. To direct (a weapon), prepare (a blow), etc., with the intention of making it strike the desired mark or target. Frequently with at…
- butt1594transitive. To aim or direct (a thing) on something.
- levy1618–Used for level, v.¹
- to give level to1669The action of aiming a missile weapon, aim. to give level to: to aim (a gun). to lay, bend, take level: to take aim, to aim. Also, the line of…
- wise1721To direct, aim, ‘send’, shoot (a missile) (Scottish); †figurative to utter.
- intenda1734transitive. To direct, level, aim (something) against someone. Obsolete.
- train1795–transitive. To direct, point, or aim (originally a cannon or other firearm, later also the eye or sight, or an optical device), esp. by horizontal…
- sight1901–To take aim at (an object); to level or aim (a firearm, etc.) at a target.
- to zero in1944–transitive. Chiefly in passive. To set the sights of (a gun or missile) on a target. Frequently with on.
society armed hostility military equipment operation and use of weapons action of propelling missile discharge of firearms management of artillery [transitive verbs] operate (artillery) aim- register1914–transitive. Military. To sight a gun or guns on (a target); spec. to pre-record the position (in terms of azimuth, range, and angle of sight) of (a…
- to zero in1944–transitive. Chiefly in passive. To set the sights of (a gun or missile) on a target. Frequently with on.
- 2.1955–
- 1955
Most critics have zeroed in on the car's engineering.
Popular Science July 113/1 - 1961
This book will zero-in on the increasingly important psychological tests.
D. Huff, Score (1962) p. ix - 1976
Wittgenstein zeroes in upon linguistic constraints and logical conditions as they are made manifest in common, ordinary speech.
Word vol. 27 142 - 2007
She ignored the raging primal screams and instead zeroed in on the lyrics' inherent despair.
Esquire November 123/2
the mind attention and judgement attention earnest attention, concentration [transitive verbs] fix the attention, concentrate in one direction- concentre1643–transitive. To cause (a person's thoughts, feelings, faculties, etc.) to be gathered and directed towards a single goal or object. Frequently with on…
- think1821–To turn over in the mind, meditate on, ponder over, consider. transitive. With simple object. Now only: to have one's mental processes full of…
- concentrate1860–transitive. To cause (one's gaze, attention, effort, etc.) to be focused (on something).
- to zero in1955–intransitive. To concentrate attention or effort on or upon something. Cf. focus, v. II.4a.
- 3.1957–intransitive. Of a camera, photographer, etc.: to bring a subject into close-up; to zoom in on.
- 1957
Soon local photographers zeroed in on Miss Dougan's bare spinal column.
Independent-Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California) 19 May (Parade section) 20/2 - 1976
Despite the limitation of not being able to change lenses—to..zero in to show ‘colors’ in the bottom of a gold pan—you'll take a lot of..pictures.
Field & Stream October 99/3 - 1985
Security cameras were installed to stop vandalism, but they zeroed in on the athletes as they traipsed back and forth across a corridor from the shower to their locker room.
Weekly World News 1 January 11/1 - 2012
A tiny red light inside the black eye was the only clue that the camera had zeroed in on you.
A. Bracken, Darkest Minds (2013) iv. 44
- zoom1944–Cinematography and Photography. intransitive. Of a camera, lens, etc.: to change smoothly from a long shot of a subject to a close-up, or vice…
- to zero in1957–intransitive. Of a camera, photographer, etc.: to bring a subject into close-up; to zoom in on.
- 4.1959–intransitive. To move towards something, as if to a target; to close in on. Also figurative.
- 1959
The squadrons of flies that zeroed in on his shiny pate.
Guardian 26 September 5/2 - 1972
I zeroed in on the downstairs bar.
W. Garner, Ditto, Brother Rat! iv. 30 - 1983
Its staff were slowly but surely zeroing in on the essential secret of successful breakfast broadcasting in this country.
Listener 14 April 33/1 - 2015
The residents saw me right away and zeroed in.
B. Bertolino, Working with Children & Adoloescents in Residence Care iii. 36
the world movement motion in a certain direction movement towards a thing, person, or position [intransitive verbs] move towards as if to a target- home1920–intransitive. Of a vessel, aircraft, missile, etc.: to move or be guided to a target or destination by use of a landmark or by means of a radio…
- to zero in1959–intransitive. To move towards something, as if to a target; to close in on. Also figurative.
- to hone in1965–intransitive. to hone in: to head directly for something; to turn one's attention intently towards something. Usually with on. Cf. home, v. 5a.
- to zero out
- 1951–transitive. To reduce to zero; to eliminate, remove; to omit, leave out. Cf. sense 5.
- 1951
In each case, there seem to be ‘zeroed out’ what are probably the most frequently used; that is, affirmation, indicative mode, present tense and punctual aspect are simply lack of negation.
International Journal of American Linguistics vol. 17 164/2 - 1972
The deletion of are has reached such a high point that it is effectively zeroed out for many speakers.
W. Labov, Language in Inner City ii. 52 - 1982
Watch..for word of new budget cuts, including Federal programmes that are to be ‘zeroed out’.
Daily Telegraph 25 January 12/7 - 2011
After a recent House vote to zero out funding for next year, [etc.].
Hill (Nexis) 5 December 20
the world existence and causation creation destruction [transitive verbs] destroy eradicate or extirpate- fornimOld English–1430transitive. To take away, do away with, destroy; also, to take up, appropriate by encroachment.
- to put awaya1382–1799transitive. To drive out or away (a disease, etc.); to dispel; to efface, obliterate; to do away with, get rid of. Obsolete.
- outroot?a1425–transitive. To pluck out or up by the root; to root out, eradicate, exterminate.
- unroot?a1425–transitive. figurative. To eradicate, clear out, remove altogether.
- out-razec1425–1626transitive. To obliterate, destroy; to erase, efface, rub out.
- to pluck up1484–transitive. To pull up; to pull (a thing) out of the place in which it is planted or set; to uproot; to eradicate; to raze, demolish. Cf. sense 4a…
- avell1530–1651To pull or tear away, pull up.
- sweep1560–Chiefly with away: To remove forcibly or as at one blow from its position or status, or out of existence; to do away with, destroy utterly.
- depopulate1576–1650transitive. To destroy, cut off. Obsolete.
- ruina1586–1725transitive. To destroy, extirpate, eradicate; to do away with, get rid of, by a destructive process. Obsolete.
- assoil1596–To purge oneself from, purge, expiate, atone for. (From I.1, I.2.) archaic.
- to lay aside1596–1726transitive. To put out of the way, get rid of. Obsolete.
- untop1598–transitive. To deprive of a top. Also figurative.
- displant1603–38figurative. To root up, eradicate.
- float1606–Of water, the tide, etc.: to lift up, or support on its surface (anything buoyant); to bear (anything buoyant) along by the force of the current…
- to take off1619–transitive. Esp. of a disease or other cause of death: to kill, to ‘carry off’.
- amolish1624–54transitive. To remove forcibly; to do away with.
- uproota1639–figurative. To remove as by tearing up; to eradicate, exterminate, destroy.
- eradicate1647–To remove entirely, extirpate, get rid of.
- to lay by1681transitive. = to lay aside at phrasal verbs; †also = to lay aside at phrasal verbs.
- to polish off1827–transitive. colloquial. to polish off: to complete or consume quickly or easily (cf. sense 1d); to get rid of, destroy, or kill.
- uprend1911–transitive. To pull or tear up; to uproot.
- to zero out1951–transitive. To reduce to zero; to eliminate, remove; to omit, leave out. Cf. sense 5.
Compounds & derived words
- zeroing, n. 1906–The adjustment of an instrument or device to give…
- rezero, v. 1953–transitive. To reset (esp. a measuring device) to…
- zeroable, adj. 1956–Of an instrument or device: capable of being…