zeroizehttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeroize_v%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezeroize, v.
Revised 2018

zeroizeverb

  1. 1894–
    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 v. 4.
    1. 1894
      Some means for standardizing or zeroizing the instrument when in use is desirable.
      Journal of United States Artillery October 723
    2. 1914
      Mr. Trinks has invented a device which disengages the pawls from the number wheels when the latter are being zeroised.
      E. M. Horsburgh, Modern Instruments & Methods of Calculation 87
    3. 1945
      It is said to enable operational errors to be rectified in a matter of moments, and the calculations to be continued without the waste of time involved by ‘zeroising’ the machine and restarting the calculations from the beginning.
      Chambers's Journal December 671/1
    4. 1974
      Integer Function JCV12C converts a positive integer L (L < 256) to a character in A1 format, zeroizing bits 24 to 1.
      Software World vol. 5 v. 12
    5. 2005
      If a bird went down, the operating procedure was to attempt to recover the crew, and then destroy the aircraft after zeroizing the crypto equipment in the radios.
      J. A. Stout, Hammer from Above xvi. 164

zeroize, v. was revised in June 2018.

zeroize, v. was last modified in September 2024.