/ ˈzɪərəʊ; NAmE ˈzɪroʊ; ˈziː-/ number , verb
■ number
1.
( pl. zeros ) ( BrE also nought ) 0 :
Five, four, three, two, zero ... We have lift-off.
2.
a temperature, pressure, etc. that is equal to zero on a scale :
It was ten degrees below zero last night (= −10°C) .
The thermometer had fallen to zero.
3.
the lowest possible amount or level; nothing at all :
I rated my chances as zero.
zero inflation
■ verb
( zer·oes , zero·ing , zer·oed , zer·oed ) [ vn ] to turn an instrument, control, etc. to zero
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PHRASAL VERBS
- zero in on sb/sth
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from French zéro or Italian zero , via Old Spanish from Arabic ṣifr cipher.