Results for zero
On this page:
 
Dictionary:

zero

  (zîr'ō, zē') pronunciation
n., pl. -ros or -roes.
  1. The numerical symbol 0; a cipher.
  2. Mathematics.
    1. The identity element for addition.
    2. A cardinal number indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration.
    3. An ordinal number indicating an initial point or origin.
    4. An argument at which the value of a function vanishes.
  3. The temperature indicated by the numeral 0 on a thermometer.
  4. A sight setting that enables a firearm to shoot on target.
  5. Informal. One having no influence or importance; a nonentity: a manager who was a total zero.
  6. The lowest point: His prospects were approaching zero.
  7. A zero-coupon bond.
  8. Informal. Nothing; nil: Today I accomplished zero.
adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or being zero.
    1. Having no measurable or otherwise determinable value.
    2. Informal. Absent, inoperative, or irrelevant in specified circumstances: “The town has . . . practically no opportunities for amusement, zero culture” (Robert M. Adams).
  2. Meteorology.
    1. Designating a ceiling not more than 16 meters (52 feet) high.
    2. Limited in horizontal visibility to no more than 55 meters (180 feet).
  3. Linguistics. Of or relating to a morpheme that is expected by an established, regular paradigm but has no spoken or written form. Moose has a zero plural; that is, its plural is moose.
tr.v., -roed, -ro·ing, -roes.

To adjust (an instrument or a device) to zero value.

phrasal verbs:

zero in

    1. To aim or concentrate firepower on an exact target location.
    2. To adjust the aim or sight of by repeated firings.
  1. To converge intently; close in: The children zeroed in on the display of toys in the store window.
zero out
  1. To eliminate (a budget or budget item) by cutting off funding.
  2. To reduce to zero.

[Italian, from alteration of Medieval Latin zephirum, from Arabic ṣifr, nothing, cipher. See cipher.]


 
 

In mathematics, the concept zero is used in two ways: as a number and as a value of a variable. The positional system of number notation, developed first by the Babylonians (about 500 b.c.) with the base 60, and a millennium later by the Hindus and the Chinese with the base 10, required for greater clarity a special marker of the empty, nonoccupied position.

The zero as a number, however, is a new concept, introduced by the Hindus and Chinese about the same time (6th century). Brahmagupta (born a.d. 598) remarked that the number 0 has special properties: a ± 0 = a, and a · 0 = 0, where a may be any number (integer).

In a modern way, zero can be called the identity element of the infinite Abelian additive group of integers. If in an integral domain a product is equal to zero, then at least one factor of the product is zero. In the second concept zero is the value of a variable for which a function is equal to zero.


 
Thesaurus: zero
also zero in

noun

  1. A totally insignificant person: cipher, nebbish, nobody, nonentity, nothing. Informal pip-squeak. Slang shrimp, zilch. See important/unimportant.
  2. No thing; not anything: nil, nothing, null. Slang nix, zilch. Archaic aught. See absence.

phrasal verb - zero in

    To move (a weapon or blow, for example) in the direction of someone or something: aim, cast, direct, head, level, point, set1, train, turn. Military lay1. See seek/avoid.

 
Antonyms: zero

n

Definition: nothing
Antonyms: anything, being, something, thing


 

1. To set to 0. Usually said of small pieces of data, such as bits or words (esp. in the construction zero out).

2. To erase; to discard all data from. Said of disks and directories, where ‘zeroing’ need not involve actually writing zeroes throughout the area being zeroed. One may speak of something being logically zeroed rather than being physically zeroed. See scribble.


 

Short for zero hour.

v. -oes, -oed

set the sights of (a gun) for firing.

zero in take aim with a gun or missile: jet fighters zeroed in on the rebel positions.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

 

Number and numeral of critical importance in mathematics. Zero is known as the additive identity because adding it to any number does not change the number's identity, or value. The product of zero and any number is zero; for most number systems the converse is true — that is, if the product of two numbers is zero, at least one of them must equal zero. The latter property is fundamental to the solution of nearly every problem in mathematics. Division by zero is undefined; efforts to deal with such divisions led to calculus. Various punctuation marks were first used in Mesopotamia beginning about 700 BC to indicate an empty space in positional notation, but never at the end of a number — the difference between, say, 78 and 780 had to be understood from the context. Ptolemy first used 0, or the Greek letter omicron "o," as an empty placeholder, including at the end of a number, to express data in the Babylonian sexagesimal system in his astronomical treatise Almagest (c. 130 AD). The Hindu-Arabic numerals and treatment of zero as a number developed between the 6th and 9th centuries in India. Zero soon followed trade routes to China, the Islamic world, and Europe.

For more information on zero, visit Britannica.com.

 
that number which, when added to any number, leaves the latter unchanged; its symbol is 0. The introduction of zero into the decimal system was the most significant achievement in the development of a number system in which calculation with large numbers was feasible. Without it, modern astronomy, physics, and chemistry would have been unthinkable as we know them. The lack of such a symbol was one of the serious drawbacks of Greek mathematics. Its existence in the West is probably due to the Arabs, who, having obtained it from the Hindus, passed it on to European mathematicians in the latter part of the Middle Ages. The Maya of Central America and probably the Babylonians also invented zero. With the extension of the number system to negative as well as positive numbers, zero became the name for that position on the scale of integers between −1 and +1. It is used in this sense in speaking of zero degrees on the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales; “absolute zero” is a term used by physicists and chemists to indicate the theoretically lowest possible temperature—a use reminiscent of zero as a symbol for nothing. Unlike other numbers, zero has certain special properties in connection with the four fundamental operations. By definition zero added to or subtracted from any number leaves the number unchanged. Any number multiplied by zero gives zero. Zero multiplied by or divided by any number (other than zero) is still zero. But division by zero is undefined; i.e., there is no number that is the value of a number divided by zero.

Bibliography

See C. Seife, Zero (2000).


 

The point on a thermometer scale from which the graduations begin. The zero of the Celsius (centigrade) scale is the ice point; on the Fahrenheit scale it is 32° below the ice point.

  • absolute z. — the lowest possible temperature, designated 0 on the Kelvin or Rankine scale, the equivalent of −273.15° C or −459.67° F.
 

Calibrating a meter so that it shows a value of zero when zero is being measured.


 

To set the sights of a weapon so that a proper sight picture will obtain a bull on the rifle range. Any officer. Taken from the pay grades (O-1 to O-10). Also a Japanese aircraft in World War II.

 
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: adj. - Having no measurable or otherwise determinable value, described by the number "0.".

pronunciation There is zero, and there is eternity, and there is mortality, but there is no ultimate. — Stephen King Source: Mrs. Todd's Shortcut

 
Wikipedia: zero (complex analysis)

In complex analysis, a zero of a holomorphic function f is a complex number a such that f(a) = 0.

Multiplicity of a zero

A complex number a is a simple zero of f, or a zero of multiplicity 1 of f, if f can be written as

f(z)=(z-a)g(z)\,

where g is a holomorphic function g such that g(a) is not zero.

Generally, the multiplicity of the zero of f at a is the positive integer n for which there is a holomorphic function g such that

f(z)=(z-a)^ng(z)\  \mbox{and}\ g(a)\neq 0.\,

Existence of zeros

The fundamental theorem of algebra says that every nonconstant polynomial with complex coefficients has at least one zero in the complex plane. This is in contrast to the situation with real zeros: some polynomial functions with real coefficients have no real zeros. An example is f(x) = x2 + 1.

Properties

An important property of the set of zeros of a holomorphic function (that is not identically zero) is that the zeros are isolated. In other words, for any zero of a holomorphic function , there is a small disc around the zero which contains no other zeros. There are also some theorems in complex analysis which show the connections between the zeros of a holomorphic (or meromorphic) function and other properties of the function. In particular Jensen's formula and Weierstrass factorization theorem are results for complex functions which have no counterpart for functions of a real variable.

See also

References

  • Conway, John (1986). Functions of One Complex Variable I. Springer. ISBN 0-387-90328-3. 
  • Conway, John (1995). Functions of One Complex Variable II. Springer. ISBN 0-387-94460-5. 

External links


 
Translations: Translations for: Zero

Dansk (Danish)
num. - tallet nul
v. tr. - indstille, nulstille
n. - nul, nulpunkt, frysepunkt
adj. - intet

idioms:

  • zero hour    tidspunkt for start af noget
  • zero in on    koncentrere sig om
  • zero option    ingen valgmuligheder

Nederlands (Dutch)
nul, nulpunt, geen enkele, op nul zetten, richten (vuurwapen)

Français (French)
n. - (gén, Math, Météo) zéro, (fig) zéro
adj. - zéro, nul (le voltage, la tension)
v. tr. - mettre à zéro

idioms:

  • zero hour    (Mil) l'heure H, (fig) le moment critique ou décisif
  • zero in    (Mil) viser
  • zero in on    (Mil) viser (une cible), (fig) cerner, se rabattre sur (une possibilité), foncer droit sur (qn), repérer (un endroit)
  • zero option    (Pol) l'option zéro

Deutsch (German)
n. - Null, Nullpunkt
adj. - null
v. - auf Null einstellen
num. - Null

idioms:

  • zero hour    die Stunde X
  • zero in    Visier abstimmen
  • zero in on    sich einschießen auf, sich konzentrieren auf
  • zero option    Nullösung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μηδέν
adj. - μηδενικός
v. - μηδενίζω

idioms:

  • zero hour    ώρα μηδέν, ώρα επιθέσεως
  • zero in on    συγκλίνω προς, σημαδεύω, συγκεντρώνω τα πυρά μου εναντίον
  • zero option    μηδενική επιλογή (σε πρόγραμμα αμοιβαίου αφοπλισμού)

Italiano (Italian)
zero

idioms:

  • zero hour    ora zero
  • zero in    mirare
  • zero in on    concentrarsi
  • zero on    mirare su
  • zero option    opzione zero

Português (Portuguese)
n. - zero (m), nada
adj. - relacionado a zero
v. - zerar

idioms:

  • absolute zero    zero absoluto
  • zero hour    hora H
  • zero in on    concentrar forças em
  • zero option    opção zero

Русский (Russian)
нуль, начало координат, ничто, нулевой, устанавливать на нуль, определять нуль (прибора и т.п.)

idioms:

  • absolute zero    абсолютный нуль
  • zero hour    решительный час, время начала наступления войск, полночь
  • zero in on    нацеливаться на что-л.
  • zero option    нулевой вариант

Español (Spanish)
n. - cero
adj. - de cero
v. tr. - llevar a cero, poner en cero, apuntar

idioms:

  • zero hour    hora H, hora cero, momento decisivo
  • zero in    centrarse, apuntar hacia
  • zero in on    centrar la puntería en
  • zero option    opción cero

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - noll (-a), nollpunkt, fryspunkt, nolla (om person), avgörande ögonblick, noll- (språkv.)
adj. - noll-, nollställd
v. - nolla, nollställa

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
零, 对...作归零校正, 校正...的瞄准器, 零点, 零度, 零点的, 零度的, 没有的, 全无的

idioms:

  • zero hour    零时, 关键时刻, 发动进攻的时刻
  • zero in on    矛头集中指向, 对...作协调校正, 向...集中火力, 向...集中注意力
  • zero option    零选择裁军, 如果苏联从欧洲撤除SS-20飞弹美国也放弃部署巡弋飞弹

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
num. - 零
v. tr. - 對...作歸零校正, 校正...的瞄準器
n. - 零點, 零度
adj. - 零點的, 零度的, 沒有的, 全無的

idioms:

  • zero hour    零時, 關鍵時刻, 發動進攻的時刻
  • zero in on    矛頭集中指向, 對...作協調校正, 向...集中火力, 向...集中注意力
  • zero option    零選擇裁軍, 如果蘇聯從歐洲撤除SS-20飛彈美國也放棄部署巡弋飛彈

한국어 (Korean)
num. - 0 (아라비아 숫자의)
v. tr. - 제로에 맞추다, 집중하다, 영의 값으로 하다
n. - 영 , 영점, 최하점
adj. - 영의, 결여되어 있는, 제로인

idioms:

  • zero in on    조준을 ~에 맞추다, ~에 포화를 집중하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ゼロ, 零度, 最下点, 何もないこと
adj. - ゼロの

idioms:

  • zero hour    予定行動開始時刻, 発射時刻, 始めようとするとき, 決定的瞬間
  • zero in on    ねらう, 注意を集中する
  • zero option    ゼロオプション

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) صفر, لا شيء, شخص عديم القيمه (صفه) تافه, لا يسوى شيئا, قيمته صفر (فعل) يصفر العداد, يجهز ناظور البندقيه للتهديف‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אפס‬
adj. - ‮מסתכם באפס, חסר גודל או כמות מדידים‬
v. tr. - ‮איפס (מכשיר), כייל כוונות (של רובה)‬


 
Best of the Web: zero

Some good "zero" pages on the web:


American Sign Language
commtechlab.msu.edu
 

Math
mathworld.wolfram.com
 
 
 

Join the WikiAnswers Q&A community. Post a question or answer questions about "zero" at WikiAnswers.

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms. © 1999-2008 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
Hacker Slang. The Jargon File. Copyright © 2007.  Read more
US Military Dictionary. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Electronics Dictionary. Copyright 2001 by Twysted Pair. All rights reserved.  Read more
Marine Corps Dictionary. Copyright © 2003 "Unofficial Dictionary for Marines" compiled and edited by Glenn B. Knight  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Zero (complex analysis)" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

Search for answers directly from your browser with the FREE Answers.com Toolbar!  
Click here to download now. 

Get Answers your way! Check out all our free tools and products.

On this page:   E-mail   print Print  Link  

 

Keep Reading

Mentioned In: